BRITISH PLASTICS FEDERATION RECYCLING ROADMAP

SUPPORTED BY The British Plastics Federation (BPF) is the trade association representing the entire plastics supply chain in the UK, from polymer producers and distributors, converters, equipment suppliers and recyclers. The BPF works in close collaboration with its member companies and liaises closely with government departments, as well as a broad range of non-governmental stakeholders such as charities, brands and retailers.

The plastics industry is one of the UK manufacturing sector’s biggest strengths, comprising around 6,200 companies and directly employing 180,000 people.

This report has been produced by the British Plastics Federation. The BPF would like to thank Keith Freegard of Keith Freegard Consulting Ltd for all his work on this report and all other reviewers who have provided valuable comments and feedback during its production. This report does not necessarily reflect the views of individual companies mentioned in this report and information provided by companies does not necessarily reflect the views of the BPF. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording and/or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers. While all reasonable steps have been taken to ensure that the information contained within this document is correct, the British Plastics Federation can make no warranties or representations of any kind as to the content and, to the maximum extent permitted by law, accept no liability whatsoever for the same including without limit, for direct, indirect or consequential loss, business interruption, loss of profits, production, contracts or goodwill.

British Plastics Federation BPF House, 6 Bath Place Rivington Street London EC2A 3JE First published January 2021 ©2021 British Plastics Federation Contents

Foreword 3

Introduction 5

The Case for Recycling? 6

1. Where are we now? Snapshot status of UK plastics recycling, 2020 15 1.1 UK plastic market consumption to make products 15 1.2 Packaging 16 1.3 Other major UK plastic markets and waste arisings 25 1.4 EEE products to end of life WEEE 28 1.5 Building and construction – pipes/windows/flooring 32 1.6 Toys/medical/other 34 1.7 Reprocessing capacity 2020 37 1.8 Levels of recycled plastics being used back into new products 39 2. Future vision – ‘Plastics Recycling 2030’ – the end-destination goals 47 2.1 UK plastic waste estimate for 2020 49 2.2 Predicted UK waste plastic flows in 2030 50 2.3 What will the plastic recycling value chain be like in 2030? 55 2.4 Non-mechanical recycling – part of the future solution for waste plastics? 63 Non-mechanical recycling companies in the BPF Recycling Group 65 Questions for the experts 68 3 Conclusion 73

Glossary of terms 74

Annex 1 – Plastic production in the UK 75

Plastics production in the UK, 2015 76

Endnotes 77

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 2 Foreword

Over the past year, we have faced unprecedented challenges during the Covid-19 outbreak. Protective personal equipment, often made from single-use plastics, has played a vital role in reducing transmission of the virus and safeguarding citizens working in critical industries. I would like to thank the plastics industry for their efforts during these extraordinary times, especially manufacturers who have pivoted to producing essential protective personal equipment, helping to support our NHS.

However, whilst demand in certain areas has necessarily increased, we must continue our work to reduce plastic waste and tackle plastic pollution as quickly as possible. It is encouraging to see the British Plastics Federation demonstrating that industry ambition to tackle plastic waste has not diminished.

‘A Recycling Roadmap for 2030’ outlines the current position of the UK plastics industry, the current evidence base and how they can achieve the transition to a circular economy within the plastics industry. To move forward, it is essential that we have robust data readily available to inform decisions, with gaps identified, and common strategies in place so we all move in the same direction together. The broad range of data drawn together makes for some thought-provoking reading which will be a valuable springboard for future thinking.

The 2030 British Plastics Federation’s vision sets out a clear pathway for progress, including an increase in recycling rates, minimal reliance on landfill and no exports of low-quality material. I am pleased to say this vision aligns with the government’s own Resources and Waste Strategy. Our Environment Bill will enable us to significantly change the way we manage our waste and take forward a number of the proposals from the strategy. The Bill will include powers to create extended producer responsibility schemes; introduce deposit return schemes; establish greater consistency in the recycling system; better control the export of plastic waste; and give us the power to set new charges for other single-use plastic items.

Working closely with industry, we will continue to make great and necessary strides over the next decade. Taking decisive action now on plastic waste is crucial if we are to meet our commitment to eliminate avoidable plastic waste by 2042. We welcome the ambition of industry and together we will continue to work towards leaving the environment in a better state than we found it in for the next generation.

Rebecca Pow MP Minister for the Environment

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP FOREWORD 3 44 Introduction

The next decade will bring with it huge challenges and opportunities for the UK plastics recycling industry as the plastics value chain continues its move towards a circular economy and companies are increasingly incentivised to use more recycled content in their products. This roadmap has been created by the British Plastics Federation (BPF) following detailed analysis of available market data and consultation with leading experts to provide an ambitious vision for how the UK could deal with plastic waste by 2030. It will provide a clear overview of the plastics industry today, examining how much plastic is placed on the market, how much is recycled and what the capacity for plastics recycling in the UK is today. The report will look not only at how we deal with our waste today but also at how we could deal with it by 2030, including an examination of the emerging technology of non-mechanical recycling and the key role it will play in the future. A significant part of this is to move to zero reliance on low-quality export to reverse the current dependence on export as an outlet for end of life plastics. Britain has the chance to lead the world in the rapid transition to a circular economy for plastics, where a ‘full-system’ approach is taken for collection, sorting and reprocessing of plastic products. The roadmap will examine the drivers of change required to make this possible.

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP INTRODUCTION 5 The Case for Recycling

If all plastic were recycled FIGURE 1: CO2 emissions from Using post consumer resin globally, this could result in mean primary and recycled material (PCR) in products significantly annual savings of 30 to 150 reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) M million tonnes of CO2, equivalent emissions. 30% PCR in polyethylene C to shutting between 8 and 40 terephthalate (PET) packaging on materials significantly coal-fired power plants globally1 average results in a reduction in GHG by 15.25%, High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is 10.23% and Polypropylene (PP) is 6.38%.3

The global warming potential associated with plastics recycling is at least half of that associated with incineration or landfilling.2 Recycling saves between 30% and 80% of the carbon emissions that virgin plastic processing and manufacturing generate.4 The Collaborative Industry Group, who produced the report ‘Future ODAY of Packaging Report’ as part of R The Retail Institute, Leeds Beckett University, commented ‘The view Improvements in product design of our Collaborative Group is that and materials choice, combined Source: Material Economics The Circular due to the potential consequences of with increased collections, recycling Economy a Powerful Force for Climate Mitigation, https://materialeconomics. and improvements in underlying abandoning plastic in some product com/publications/the-circular-economy-a- categories, greater effort is necessary technologies, could create an powerful-force-for-climate-mitigation-1 to improve the systems for collecting additional €30bn of revenue across Note:Plastics:primary versus recycled and recycling waste’. Europe.5 tCO2/tPLASTICS

COVID-19 UPDATE FIGURE 2: Operational capacity of BPF Recycling Group Members duting 2020 The majority of this report was produced before the Covid-19 pandemic. The plastic recycling industry has been affected with facilities running at reduced capacities (av. 60%) during the initial lockdown. Low virgin prices due to lack of consumption in light of the pandemic have compounded this impact. There is uncertainty over the long-term impact of the pandemic around capacities and commercial viability. As a result of the pandemic, it is likely that rates of growth will N be lower and timings for regulations delayed. However, there is an opportunity for the UK to build a green economy as we A move out of this crisis. M A

6 Executive summary

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP EXECUTIVE SUMMARY E E E EEE E

1,714 kT E 505 kT POM T R R EEE U 386 kT I M T 3,600 kT P C 111 kT P EEE 2019

E V EV

560 kT 1,141 kT 250–360 kT 450–600 kT P E P POM EL 2019 49.8% 2,290 kT R POM ~150 kT 2.3 million R N 61% 2019 40-60 kT 77% 1.75 million ELVs P EL PEDPE A to final output polymer.

T M E ES

RecoMed 18 kT P 143 kT PC 73 kT P C PC POM Run by BPF 24 kT funded by VinylPlus I D 23 tonnes PC 13 kT Note: No figures on recycling volumes for used toy products could be sourced for this report, although a significant proportion of R EEE

8 E E E EEE E

1,714 kT E 505 kT POM T R R EEE U 386 kT I M T 3,600 kT P C 111 kT P EEE 2019

E V EV

560 kT 1,141 kT 250–360 kT 450–600 kT P E P POM EL 2019 49.8% 2,290 kT R POM ~150 kT 2.3 million R N 61% 2019 40-60 kT 77% 1.75 million ELVs P EL PEDPE A to final output polymer.

T M E ES

RecoMed 18 kT P 143 kT PC 73 kT P C PC POM Run by BPF 24 kT funded by VinylPlus I D 23 tonnes PC 13 kT Note: No figures on recycling volumes for used toy products could be sourced for this report, although a significant proportion of R EEE

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 9 While there is limited data on where recyclate is currently used, PlasticsEurope have estimated UK post-consumer consumption as 275kT. The BPF are also working with EUPC on the MORE tool and will be gathering data to fill the knowledge gap. This roadmap sets out some of the markets which use recyclate and also commitments made by companies.

In Section 3 of the report, the vision for 2030 is set out. A key part of the vision for 2030 is that there will be zero reliance on low-quality export. Any export taking place would be good-quality material driving overall quality up by removing an outlet for low quality material. This will focus on material where there are no UK facilities to handle it and/or it is surplus to UK capacity; it therefore represents the best environmental outcome. The roadmap also has minimal landfill (1%), and this would be used in exceptional or unavoidable circumstances. Starting with these two key areas, an estimate has been made by seeking expert views and opinion on the amount of plastic which will go to mechanical recycling, non-mechanical recycling, composting and Energy from Waste (EFW). The breakdown of this vision compared to 2020 is available in Figure 3.

The estimates are designed to be ambitious but also show what can be achieved with the correct drivers and investment in place.

Section 3 of the roadmap goes on to look at key areas in the plastic supply chain and what these will need to be like in 2030 in order to achieve the estimates (see Figure 4).

Estimated capacity in the UK

800–1000 kT pa 150–200 kT pa F

440 kT pa 120–140 kT EL EEE 230 kT pa 50 kT

10 FIGURE 3: UK Waste Plastic Flows 2020 and 2030 Tonnage,U kTonnes ONNAGE ONNE

2020

U E E C A Landfill

2030

Key assumptions Key predictions for 2030

• Plastic tonnage in the waste stream is stable • Minimal plastic to landfill (1%) • Non-mechanical recycling technology proven at scale • Zero reliance on low quality export (9%) • Zero reliance on low quality export • Over 30% reduction in EFW • Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is in place and other legislative • Over 3 times increase in UK mechanical drivers developed have a meaningful positive impact on the industry recycling tonnage • Increase in high-quality recyclate used in open • 3.5 times increase in reprocessing in the UK and closed loop applications • Growth in the non-mechanical • Biodegradable and compostable plastic used in controlled systems recycling industry • EFW capacity remains stable • Efficiency of facilities increases • Landfill is minimal • Significant increase in the amount of recyclate incorporated into all plastic products. • Mechanical recycling in advanced UK-based sorting, cleaning and reprocessing plants is operating efficiently • Waste crime significantly reduced • Standardisation of collection

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 11 FIGURE 4: Key Drivers for Change

L O G

Unified designed Specific product Key changes needed to achieve A RC vision for 2030 Significant

Kerbside film PRNPERN

B C A A designed fiscal

12 Where are L O G we now? Snapshot status of UK plastics recycling, 2020 Unified designed Specific product Key changes needed to achieve A RC vision for 2030 Significant

Kerbside film PRNPERN

B C A A designed fiscal 14 1. Where are we now? Snapshot status of UK plastics recycling, 2020

1.1 UK plastic market consumption to make products UK consumption is estimated to be 7.1% of the European demand (50.7 MT). UK consumption Split across the primary markets, this is estimated at gives UK tonnages at the converter level, 3,600 kT20 shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5 gives an indication of the plastic volumes being used to make products but is not an accurate representation of products POM because import and export trade movements account for significant material flows and are much harder to track.

FIGURE 5: UK plastic consumption estimates by converters 2018

Sector Packaging Building and Automotive Electrical Agriculture Household Medical Other Total construction and sports and electronic leisure kTonnes 1,512 828 252 216 108 108 72 504 3,600

Percent 42% 23% 7% 6% 3% 3% 2% 14% 100%

Source: based on data from PlasticsEurope on plastic conversion sectors in Europe28

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP WHERE ARE WE NOW? 15 1.2 Packaging

1.2.1 Material flows – POM

As plastics packaging has its own regulatory control system to measure the total volumes POM, it is possible to quote figures for the retail sales and 42% used packaging waste arisings with a O degree of confidence. In the PackFlow Covid-19 Report, the total POM figure for Plastic Packaging is quoted at 2,290 kT for 2019. The packaging used for consumer retail products is estimated at 1,447 kT, of which approximately 2/3rds is used for grocery items (987 kT) – see Figure 6.

FIGURE 6: Plastic Packaging POM per sector

G P C R P N P

P P A

N C R B P D

C I

M O Source: PackFlow Covid-19 Report – Valpak

16 FIGURE 7: UK Consumer Plastic Packaging, 000s tonnes/yr

UK Consumer Packaging POM Total 2019 HDPE LDPE PE PET PP PS PVC Other kT/yr % Film 16 103 17 43 80 4 3 46 643 44 Bottles 274 0 2 348 17 0 0 1 311 22 PTT 5 0 3 164 92 28 3 4 194 12 Other 43 21 3 44 77 2 1 2 300 21 Total: 338 125 24 599 267 35 7 53 1447 % 23 9 2 41 18 2.4 0.5 4

Source: PackFlow Covid-19 Report – Valpak

The Consumer Retail packaging volume at around 1,600 to 1,750 kT pa. of 1,447 kT is split down into individual As most packaging has a short ‘in use’ polymer type and pack format in phase, it is reasonable to assume that Figure 7. the majority of the used packaging goes Just six polymer and pack formats into the waste stream within the same dominate the overall tonnage at 73% year. This means the total waste plastic of the total, polyethylene (PE) and PP packaging arisings will be roughly equal films; HDPE and PET bottles; PET and PP to the POM figure in the same annual Pots, Tubs and Trays (PTT) [shaded in period. orange on the table]. It is these primary packaging types that will have to deliver the mainstream flow of post-consumer FIGURE 8: Estimate of the net import of plastic packaging recycling in the UK over the next 10 years. Estimate of packaging Percent kT In the PackFlow Covid-19 Report, the net imports, 2018 of UK POM total POM figure for Plastic Packaging is 1. Import of plastic packaging unfilled 486 Figures are quoted at 2,290 kT across all markets, 2. Import of plastic packaging filled 737 indicative & more than the consumption by adjusted for converters figures of 1,512 kT (Figure 5) 3. Export of plastic packaging unfilled 345 non-obligated packaging which indicates the large net flow of 4. Export of plastic packaging filled 211 plastic packaging into the UK annually.

An estimate of the ‘net import’ of plastic Filled + Unfilled IMPORTS 1,223 52% packaging has been made using data Filled + Unfilled EXPORTS 556 24% from the National Packaging Waste Database (NPWD) reported figures. Net Unfilled packaging imported 141 6% This is summarised in Figure 8. Net Filled packaging imported 526 22%

This data indicates that around 50% Overall net IMPORTs balance 667 28% of the estimated 2,290 kT of plastic packaging is imported into the country % of POM all UK packaging (as ‘filled packs’ or ‘unfilled packaging’). (Plastic Flow 2025) 2,360 100% The reported data also shows that about 25% of UK converted packaging gets Approx. tonnage of UK conversion (UK POM – overall net import) 1,693 72% exported out of the country, either filled or unfilled, so the ‘Net Import’ balance Potential UK-based demand for recycled material (based on 30% content) 508 N/A is then approximately 670 kT (+/- 10% error). This gives an approximate volume DATA ex NWPDB – Valpak April 2019 avg. RC% of UK-based plastic packaging conversion Source: based on data from the NPWD

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP WHERE ARE WE NOW? 17 FIGURE 9: Product and Waste Flow – Plastics Recycling Industry

C F

P INP AE MRFPRF PRIMARY OR P purification, and

CI O

M RDF

1.2.2 How much plastic packaging is recycled?

Figure 9 indicates how this process works in the UK. It is important to note that losses occur in sorting and reprocessing facilities (percentage varies based plastic materials on quality), impacting the final output tonnages.

In all cases, it is the effectiveness of the initial collection system that determines the ability of the downstream processing steps to deliver high-quality output plastics at a high yield efficiency.

18 1.2.2.1 Household from UK residents (67%). PTT have FIGURE 11: Tonnage of plastic collection rates shown strong increases for the past 10 packaging collected for recycling Plastic packaging collections started years (to 29%), and now plastic flexible in 2019 as a voluntary measure from industry. films are also being added by some 2019 % The BPF were involved in the 1980s councils (up to 4%). (tonnes) Split in a project called PET-A-BOX which There is an additional volume of waste Plastic bottles 377,000 67% provided collection facilities for PET post-consumer plastic taken for drop-off Plastic pots, bottles in supermarkets in Yorkshire. 161,000 29% at the UK’s 550 HWRCs. In a recent study tubs and trays More thorough collection schemes by RECOUP,22 it is estimated that 54,000 started in 1994 with the introduction of Plastic film 22,000 4% tonnes of mixed plastics are collected via the Producer Responsibility Regulations TOTAL 560,000 100% HWRCs, but it is not known how much of in 1997. In this time, the industry has this is packaging and also how much is gone from near zero recycling to over Source: RECOUP Household Plastic separated for recycling. half a million tonnes of household plastic Collection Survey, 2020 packaging being collected for recycling.21

This impressive growth curve for household collections over the past decades shows that plastic bottles are the main component in the plastic mix

FIGURE 10: Household collection tonnages – UK Plastic Packaging 1994 – 2018

Plastic film P P

ANIY COLLECED ONNE

Source: RECOUP UK Household Plastic Collection Survey 2019

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP WHERE ARE WE NOW? 19

600000

500000

400000

300000 1.2.2.2 Plastic packaging recycling NOTE: These ‘evidence notes’ or PRNs Figure 11 is the household plastics can be created at two different points on 49.8% collection rates (i.e. what is collected by the recycling system: Plastic packaging recycling rate local authorities via kerbside schemes), 23 1. As PRNs related to each tonne with 1,141 kT recycled whereas the actual total tonnage of fully recycled plastic pellet or recycled from household and non- flakes measured at the output from household sources is measured from the accredited UK-based reprocessor NPWD based on material accepted for 77% plants (so includes net of any yield The recycling rate for PET/HDPE recycling by UK accredited reprocessors losses during the recycling process). plastic drink bottles24 and accredited exporters, which is slightly more than the PRN/PERNs issued 2. As PERNs – Export evidence notes (see Figure 12 for how the PRN system created by the measured tonnage of operates). This includes both household material shipped out of the UK for 39% and the non-consumer packaging recycling or recovery overseas. This of plastic packaging was recycled sectors of commercial & Industrial (C&I), therefore includes any contamination in the UK in 2019 construction and agricultural packaging within the load. 449,332 T25 products (approximately 843 kT of C&I plastic waste on top of 1,447 kT consumer). 61% of plastic packaging was exported in 2019 691,993 T26 FIGURE 12: PRN system in the UK

WHA HE RN E?

R N RN RN E R N ERN O

RN RN ERN

REAER R RN A ERN

ERN W

RN

20 FIGURE 13: Plastic Packaging Recycling 2013 – 2019

Year UK (tonnes) Export Total sent for % Export (tonnes) recycling

2019 449,322 691,993 1,141,315 61%

2018 384,848 649,562 1,034,410 63%

2017 358,467 685,896 1,044,363 66%

2016 330,731 684,495 1,015,226 67%

2015 327,591 563,550 891,141 63%

2014 327,751 514,437 842,188 61%

2013 283,853 430,371 714,224 60%

Source: NPWD – 360 Env. Feb 2020

The trend of exports versus UK recycling is shown in Figure 14:

FIGURE 14: Plastic Packaging Recycling 2013 – 2019 – Source: NPWD – 360 Env. Feb 2020 WHA HE RN E?

R N RN RN E R N ERN R O E RN

RN ERN ONNE REAER R RN A ERN YEAR

ERN W

RN

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP WHERE ARE WE NOW? 21 Plastic Package: Top 10 export destinations 2019

FIGURE 15: Plastic Packaging Export Destinations 2019

I I

B

F

M

N

P G

Source: National Packaging Waste Database – 360 Env. Feb 2020

Figure 15 above highlights the current and Poland covering 63% of the Top export destinations for UK plastics 10 volume. Hong Kong, Malaysia and Basel Convention packaging waste. Indonesia remain significant end- From January 2021 all imports and destinations, although there is a The UK has been reliant on export in exports of plastic waste will need continued trend away from sending order to recycle plastic packaging. The notification unless they meet the material to these countries where PRN/PERN system has contributed requirements of being: stricter requirements are being put in to this reliance due to the different place. • Almost exclusively of one type measurement points described earlier. of plastic, almost free from There has therefore been a lack of Through the Basel Convention, waste contamination and other types investment in new recycling facilities shipment regulations are changing in of waste. in the UK which has led to a further 2021 with more material being notifiable. • A mixed shipment of PET, PE reliance on export. As seen in figure The impact of this on export remains to and PP provided all waste is 14, the proportion of material sent for be seen, but without clear guidelines on destined for separate recycling export has been stabilising since 2016, acceptable levels of contamination or in an environmentally sound but it is still the dominant end of life what constitutes ‘one polymer’ there is manner and almost free from route for recycled material. an opportunity for misinterpretation. contamination and other types Previously, the material would have of waste. gone to China; however, with China There is a specific list of what falls placing heavy restrictions on recycling within ‘one type of plastic’. material they import, Figure 15 now shows Turkey, the Netherlands, Germany

22 FIGURE 16: Impact of changing the measuring point for recycling

RECCLING PLANT

Sorting of plastic Shredding Cleaning Second sorting Input for recyclate packaging production by polymer type D E

RESIDUES RESIDUES RESIDUES

Other materials for recycling Collection First sorting A of packaging Current point of calculation Future point of calculation M M Directive (EU) 94/62/EC Directive (EU) 2018/852 E E 42% 29%

Landfill Energy recovery

Source: Plastics Europe – The Circular Economy for Plastics – an overview. 2019

1.2.3 New measuring point This will be at the ‘point where material for packaging recycling enters the final recycling process’, and across Europe for plastics that means: ‘Plastic separated by polymers that does The need to create a common ‘point of not undergo further processing before measurement’ for reporting of national entering pelletisation, extrusion, or recycling rates across Europe has been moulding operations, OR Plastic flakes that recognised by the EU Commission. A do not undergo further processing before new Commission Decision was made their use in a final product.’ in June 2019 ‘laying down rules for the (ex Annex 1, EU Decision 2019/1004, calculation, verification and reporting of ref 5) data on waste’ recycling rate for Member States.27

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP WHERE ARE WE NOW? 23 Proposed UK Government Policy Measures

30% A

A EPR C 2023 2023 2023 April 2022

Proposed UK Government Policy Measures

1.2.4 Policy changes At the state opening of parliament in and part of the review of the Packaging for UK packaging December 2019, the Queen’s speech and Packaging Waste Directive will be included a reference to banning how to achieve the ambitions set out in With its high visibility in use and ‘polluting plastic waste’ to non- the European Green30% Deal and the New frequency of disposal by UK consumers, OECD countries. It is expected that Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP). packaging has come under increased A a consultation linked to this will be focus of attention in the media and from 2.2.5 UK Plastics Pact A EPR released in 2021. C NGOs.UK Plastics This has Pact happened Targets, at 2025 a time The UK Plastics Pact brings together 2023In addition to measures expected when climate change, environmental the plastics value chain. There are more to come into force from the UK impact and2023 marine litter have all become than 120 business, government, local mainstream news items. Governments government, there is also measuring2023 authorities and organisationsApril 2022 who are across Europe have responded to being put in place at a European level. signed up to the pact. this with1 a00% raft of new regulations and It is expected the UK will want to equal policy directives included in its 25 Year or better these measures. This includes Environment Plan and Resource and an objective that ‘all packaging on the Waste strategy. 70% EU market is reusable or recyclable in an economically viable way by 2030’, 100% 70% 30% Eliminate problematic average recycled effectively recycled redesign, innovation or alternative (reuse) delivery UK Plastics Pact Targets, 2025

100%

70%

100% 70% 30% Eliminate problematic average recycled effectively recycled redesign, innovation or alternative (reuse) delivery

24 1.3 Other major UK plastic markets and waste arisings

The UK converter demand for non- 1.3.1 Motor Vehicles and ELVs packaging plastic is estimated at plastics arising 2.1 million tonnes.28 WRAP have a similar figure of 2.5 million tonnes.29 However, as mentioned, due to imports and exports this does not represent the 7% total tonnage of non-packaging POM in O the UK in any one year. The UK motor vehicle market is a good example of this, with the SMMT30 data showing that for 2019:

• Cars built in UK = 1.3 M • Export of cars out of UK = 1.06 M 1.3.1.1 POM vehicles • New car UK registrations = 2.3 M

Hence using the ‘plastics converter Plastics used in cars consumption’ volume estimates as an UK new car registrations in the past 20 years has increased indicator of future waste plastics arisings vary from 2.0 to 2.6 million vehicles and is currently between in the UK would be erroneous and ~12 and 17% misleading. Additional 12 – 14% of vehicle mass for commercial vehicles and lorries31 (up to 50% of volume)

Average vehicle weights 450 to 600 kTpa have increased from of plastic placed on the market

1 tonne to ~ 1.5 tonnes in new cars33 per vehicle in the last 20 years32

P L F E 39 different A B AB polymer types P P P PCAB P PA PP

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP WHERE ARE WE NOW? 25 FIGURE 17: Annual New Car Registrations 2009 – 2019 Annual New Car Registrations 2009 – 2019

35 250 – 360 kT pa on average of plastic waste arising from ELVs

NMBER OF CAR

YEAR

Source: SMMT, SMMT Motor Industry Facts 2020

1.3.1.2 ELVs POM The plastic waste arising from ELVs has The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency been estimated at 250-360 kT pa. About (DVLA) has a cumulative registered half (150kT) of this is rigid plastic suitable Plastics in automotive: Light weighting vehicles number of 37.7 million vehicles.36 This for mechanical recycling.37 Losses of reduces to 35 million when you allow ELVs from the UK via exports are a lot • While plastics make up to 50% for ‘ghost ELVs’ which were not correctly lower than seen in mainland Europe of today’s automobiles by volume, issued with a ‘certificate of destruction’ where lost vehicles are as much 4 million they account for less than 20% when they were scrapped or exported. units (6.6 million are treated within the of weight. Using the number of vehicles POM EU38). The logistics of the UK being an • Reducing a vehicle’s weight each year (2.4 million) and the annual island, administrative costs and that by 10% could increase its fuel increase in vehicles (640,000) means vehicles are left-hand drive make them economy by 6 – 8%39 about 1.75 million vehicles reached the less attractive. end of life each year. • It is estimated that the use of plastics in cars and the subsequent light weighting saves about 750 litres of fuel over the FIGURE 18: Licensed vehicles in Great Britain 1997 to 2017 lifetime of the car40

INE L

MILLION OF LICENED EICLE

END OF ARER

Source: DVLC DoT Vehicle Licensing Statistics: Annual 2017 https://assets.publishing. service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/716075/ vehicle-licensing-statistics-2017-revised.pdf accessed 09.12.2020

26 1.3.1.3 Available material In 2018 there was a 92.8% reuse and in the future recovery rate for vehicles. 85.2%41 of 92.8% It is estimated a car’s average working this was recycling and reuse of metal reuse and recovery rate life is 13 – 14 years and the total car- and other materials. It is estimated that in 2018 for vehicles42 pool is around 35 million vehicles. 40-60 kT of plastic is reprocessed to final Using an average vehicle mass of output polymer. 1.5 tonnes and plastic content of 14.5% The ELV Directive is currently under EU means there is 7.6 million tonnes of review during 2020, with an increased polymer components in the vehicles focus on the need for the automotive currently in use. If half of this was sector to increase circular economy viewed as potentially recoverable principles and also to consider how best ‘future recycled plastic resources’ and to handle the rapidly increasing level valued at a modest £1,000 per tonne as of electronics and electrical propulsion raw compound, then the UK car-fleet systems being developed. Some industry holds an accumulated future value of experts have commented that a modern £3.8 billion as recyclable ‘r-plastic’. all-electric vehicle is actually ‘mobile 1.3.1.4 Recycling for motor WEEE’ and thus could share some of vehicle plastics the approaches used for Electric and The collection and materials recycling for Electronic Equipment (EEE) end of life motor vehicles take place under the ‘End product treatment. The 2020 review of Life Vehicle (ELV) Directive’ (European will also consider setting material- Directive 2000/53/EC) which was first specific targets on the ELV recycling adopted in 2000. This sets the target performance and, hopefully, introduce recycling and recovery rate for materials target thresholds for the inclusion of from the end of life treatment of cars. recycled content back into new vehicle Originally a figure of 85% was used, and components. Some Original Equipment that was increased to 95% in 2015 (of Manufacture’s (OEMs) do already have which 85% is material recycling and 10% recycled content targets. is energy recovery). The majority of this ‘material target’ is met from steel and non-ferrous metal recycling at ~75% of the vehicle weight, but large-scale plants which separate other materials from the bulk shredder waste have been implemented across Europe in the past decade in order to extract some of the rigid plastics for onwards reprocessing of plastics.

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP WHERE ARE WE NOW? 27 1.4 EEE products to end of life WEEE

1.4.1 POM EEE

The UK EEE market has been operated under the producer responsibility mechanism called the WEEE Directive since 2007. This places a duty on 6% obligated producers, retailers and O importers of goods to report their annual POM figures and thus provides good market volume data.

FIGURE 19: EEE POM from 2015 to 2019 EEE POM from 2015 – 2019 (MT)

ONNAGE M

YEAR

Environmental Agency WEEE database accessed 05.08.2020

The reduction in MT of EEE probably reflects lighter and smaller products across many sectors of electrical goods, and perhaps the use of less metals and more plastics in EEE product design (See 2015 2019 Figure 19). 1.77 An estimate has been made for the Million Tonnes 1.71 Million Tonnes tonnage of plastic in EEE products (and N WEEE below) for each product category. EEE POM N This estimate was verified against actual EEE POM figures obtained from established authorised treatment facilities (ATF) operators to give confidence in the 111 kT result obtained. of waste plastic collected as WEEE in 2019

28 FIGURE 20: EEE POM in 2019

POM Percentage Total Waste total of plastic Plastic arising 2019 (estimate) (tonnes)

Large Household Appliances 651,280 20% 130,256

Small Household Appliances 166,669 45% 75,001

IT and Telcomms Equipment 151,108 30% 45,332

Consumer Equipment 44,700 35% 15,645

Lighting Equipment 97,768 10% 9,777

Electrical and Electronic Tools 92,955 25% 23,239

Toys Leisure and Sports 60,527 30% 18,158

Medical Devices 12,640 40% 5,056

Monitoring and Control Instruments 43,106 20% 8,621

Automatic Dispensers 6,358 15% 954

Display Equipment 96,908 15% 14,536

Cooling Appliances Containing Refrigerants 252,668 15% 37,900

Gas Discharge Lamps and LED Light Sources 10,331 5% 517

Photovoltaic Panels 27,609 5% 1,380

Totals 1,714,627 386,372

Source: Environmental Agency WEEE database [accessed 09.07.2020] and estimated plastic content

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP WHERE ARE WE NOW? 29 FIGURE 21: WEEE collected in the UK

Collected Percentage Total Waste total of plastic Plastic arising UK WEEE Data 2019 2019 (estimate) (tonnes) 2019 plastic percent plastic tonne Large Household Appliances 175,484 20% 35,097

Small Household Appliances 35,579 45% 16,011

IT and Telcomms Equipment 46,704 30% 14,011

Consumer Equipment 36,055 35% 12,619

Lighting Equipment 3,279 10% 328

Electrical and Electronic Tools 18,014 25% 4,504

Toys Leisure and Sports 2,285 30% 686

Medical Devices 283 40% 113

Monitoring and Control Instruments 247 20% 49

Automatic Dispensers 124 15% 19

Display Equipment 44,634 15% 6,695

Cooling Appliances Containing Refrigerants 138,138 15% 20,721

Gas Discharge Lamps and LED Light Sources 4,555 5% 228

Photovoltaic Panels 65 5% 3

Total 505,446 111,084

Source: Environment Agency [accessed 16.07.2020] and estimated plastic content

1.4.2 WEEE collected Adjusting for non-recorded items and and recycled non-household material, a recovery target for UK registered WEEE treatment The associated reporting of collected sites was set at 550kT for 2019. The and treated end of life WEEE items above data shows this target has not enables a relatively accurate estimate been reached. to be made for UK WEEE plastics waste arisings. Figures reported for 2019 year This estimate suggests that only about 45% 65% POM POM 43 one third of plastic contained in used are shown in figure 21. 2016 2019 EEE goods is being captured by the Although data reporting is good, it does installed WEEE collection system. Within not capture the large metal-rich items the ~110 kT of WEEE waste plastic EEE which pass directly to UK scrap metal arisings, the most common polymer 45% 65% shredder sites and other electrical POM types will be PP, ABS, PS, PC/ABS and goods that are handled outside of the some nylons, plus PVC and composites official system.44 in cables and circuit boards. Most The target collection rates for UK recyclers only target the first three WEEE have risen from 45% in 2016 up on this list as the plastics that can to 65% of POM tonnage in 2019.45 be recovered at high yield and with sufficient purity to make viable recycled materials.

30 FIGURE 22: WEEE Collection Rate for 2018 and 2019

2018 Proposed collection 2019 % collection rate rate 1 Large Household Appliances 75% 78%

2 Small Household Appliances 25% 37%

3 FT and Telecoms Equipment 77% 89%

4 Consumer Equipment 72% 85%

5 Lighting Equipment - -

6 Electrical and Electronic Tools 26% 36%

7 Toys, Leisure and Sports 5% 6%

8 Medical Devices 8% 9%

9 Monitoring and Control Instruments 5% 6%

10 Automatic Dispensers - -

11 Display Equipment 66% 67%

12 Cooling Appliances Containing Refrigerants 68% 71%

13 Lamps 50% 60%

14 Photovoltaic Panels 0% 0%

Total WEEE 58% 65%

Source: 360 Env – Phil Conran 2019, using data from the Environment Agency.

Figure 22 above looks at the collection in-use phase’ volume of plastic could targets across the different WEEE have a value of circa £1.2 billion46 product categories. These vary if recovered and recycled into high- significantly reflecting the efficiencies grade manufacturing raw material via of the collection schemes in place and a much more efficient system than that consumer engagement in the separating currently operating in the UK. and recycling of these products.

1.4.3 Available material in the future

A brief estimate of the UK’s ‘urban mine’ of plastic held within in-use products during the working-lifetime phase ( i.e. 5 – 10 years for most EEE products) suggests that the total tonnage of EEE plastic in circulation at any one time is greater than 3 MT, or higher if the tonnage of hoarded end of life items in UK households is included. This ‘stored

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP WHERE ARE WE NOW? 31 1.5 Building and construction – pipes/windows/flooring

The use of plastic materials in the the recycling chains in other sectors construction sector generally covers a (e.g. PP & HDPE from consumer range of product applications with a long packaging into drainage goods). lifespan. Window frames, drainage and services supply pipes, building cladding, 23% insulation foams, and flooring and O roofing sheets have working lifetimes Plastics Europe – Circular ranging from 10 to 100 years. Economy Overview 2019 – Use of Plastics Recyclates In many cases, the products consist of a single polymer type that is used as a ‘46% of recyclates in the EU28+2 mono-material throughout the product are used in BUILDING AND (e.g. PP & HDPE thick-walled pipes, PVC CONSTRUCTION APPLICATIONS window frames). These two factors often that require high-performance and mean that the use of recycled plastics durable products. The longer the has been fairly common across the lifespan of a product, the greater its sector and the high volumes involved contribution to resource efficiency create a really useful end-market ‘sink’ and circularity’. to absorb significant volumes created by

FIGURE 23: Example end-products with high recycled content in building and construction

Source: Plastics Europe

32 1.5.1 PVC in construction The recycling has greater plastics industry benefits than simply the resources saved49 The PVC industry set up a project called VinylPlus which built on the achievements of Vinyl 2010. The programme, funded by industry, is a voluntary initiative focused on sustainability. Through this initiative, 90% 1,500 collections have been set up for end less energy used direct obs of life products and these have been PVC recycling recycled back into new construction PC E items in the PVC industry. 740 kT of PVC PVC is a stable and strong engineering polymer that is well suited for the long life and exposure to the elements required by building materials. PVC recycling figures are reported through VinylPlus. The European framework reported PVC 1.5 million tonnes recycling figures of 771.3 kT in 2019 CO2 ev emissions saved 47 (4.3% rise from 2018). 143.4 kT of this was from the UK.48 740 kT of PVC

1.5.1.1 UK pipes conversion industry Plastic pipe manufacturers have been Below is a list of the type of products committed to recycling and reuse from where significant levels of recycled the early days when plastic pipes were content can be used: put on the market more than 70 years ago. Today the majority of the plastic • Rainwater systems pipes recycled feedstock volumes • Waste/overflow/traps systems go into high-quality below-ground • Soil systems (PVC and polyolefin) stormwater and sewage pipes as well • Buried Drain Systems – PVC as cable ducts without compromising • Structured wall systems on the adequate performance for the (all materials, all applications) particular application. • Geocellular drainage systems

FIGURE 24: PVC recycled through vinyl 2010 and Vinylplus

771,313 tonnes C Pipes and fittings ONNE Flexible PVC and films (including roofing and waterproofing membranes, flooring, coated fabrics, flexbile and rigid films Window profiles and related products

Source: VinylPlus 2020, Progress report 2020 – Reporting on 2019 Activities

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP WHERE ARE WE NOW? 33 1.6 Toys/medical/other

348 million plastic-rich toys POM

73 kT 47% of plastic POM mass of a toy

M will be imported

1.6.1 Toys are therefore ‘lost’ as a potential source of recycled plastic. A small percentage Many toys are durable and get passed of electrical and battery-operated toys down through families. A reuse study are captured by the UK WEEE system by the British Toy & Hobby Association but the target ‘Toy, Leisure and Sports’ found that 70% of parents pass on (TLS) category for WEEE is less than half toys. A study from their European a percentage of the WEEE target and organisation found that toys remained therefore not a significant volume. in a home for an average of 10 years. However, clearly a lot are broken and thrown away each year. While some larger toys find their way to HWRC sites (adding to the 54,000 tonnes53 of mixed plastic collected via HWRCs), the majority enter the residual waste stream and

34 1.6.2 The RecoMed take-back scheme

C PC O

37 NHS hospitals E with 91 hospitals

23,000 kg 768,932 With 40% of plastic healthcare devices made of PVC R BPF Axion C VinylPlus

Due to Covid-19 this scheme was temporarily stopped in 2020 but has since been restarted.

PVC Diverted through RecoMed FIGURE 25: PVC collected through RecoMed

C

PC COLLECED ANNALLY G CMLAIE PC DIERED G

Source: RecoMed

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP WHERE ARE WE NOW? 35 1.6.2.2 EPS material is compacted on-site meaning FIGURE 26: EPS produced and recycled EPS is a rigid cellular plastic which is reduced transportation costs and the – May 2020 found in a multitude of shapes and carbon footprint produced. applications. It is used for fish boxes, UK EPS Updated Additionally the BPF is completing a packaging for electrical consumer goods Recycling rate 30 May 2020 mapping project of companies who are and for insultation panels for building.55 Market structure Tonnes able to take back polystyrene at their The BPF’s EPS Group (www.eps.co.uk) UK produced EPS premises so that householders would be has provided the following data, which Packaging 18000 able to access collection containers and shows that over half of all EPS packaging Exported with will be producing a directory which will is recycled. It is worth noting that products 4000 be available online. currently nearly all of this material is Imported with exported to be recycled. products 10000 Disposed of in the UK 24000 The BPF is currently working with councils across the UK to set up a Recycled/collected 13140 network of HWRCs who are able to take Recycling Rate 55% EPS from householders for sorting and reprocessing and has recently had a very Tonnes successful pilot project in Leeds. The Recycled in the UK 1000 Exported to EU 12140

Source: BPF EPS Group

36 1.7 Reprocessing capacity 2020

This section makes a review of the 1.7.2 ELV & WEEE reprocessing current UK capacity to reprocess waste. capacity Household packaging capacity 440 kT pa56 1.7.1 UK plastics packaging The plastic types found in ELV and re-processing capacity WEEE are similar to the main polymers targeted for recycling, being PP, PS and The ‘UK Household Plastic Packaging ABS. These materials are often separated Sorting and Reprocessing Infrastructure’ in a primary shredding or fragmentation report (2020) by RECOUP identified operation as part of the treatment 16 reprocessors who manufacture phase and then size reduced further and washed flake from household plastic separated to a bulk ‘mixed plastic shred’ packaging. Although their capacity is secondary raw material, prior to the final 440 kT, the operational output capacity reprocessing and extrusion stages. is 230 kT (some C&I will be included in The number of players and operating this although outside the scope of the sites involved in local collection and report). The difference between the Film capacity primary waste treatment for ELV and estimated output and operational output WEEE products in the UK is very large. is important as capacity and feedstock 150–200 kT pa However, the number of advanced availability and flow is never exact; plastic sorting and refining facilities able operations change as well as commercial to complete the final recycling stages conditions and contract variations, so is small (i.e. less than five large sites), this does need to be considered. due to the fact they are large scale and Within this capacity is 65 kT (at the start highly capital intensive. These facilities of 2020) of plastic reprocessing capacity will normally process a mix of WEEE and to produce food-grade flake and pellet. ELVs. This includes 35 kT of food grade PET The installed capacity was estimated Installed capacity for WEEE and pellet and 30kT of food-grade HDPE. following a series of direct interviews ELV reprocessing plants There is currently no data on film with the four leading companies. At 120–140 kT recycling capacity in the UK, and this is that time (Q2 2019), the companies in 2019 an area which needs to be addressed to were working at about 70% of their understand additional capacity needed. maximum capacity (input volume about The capacity given is an estimate with 100 kT). Output polymer compound was an error margin and is based on the estimated at about 50 kT pa. This reflects capacity of main companies recycling the high losses found in these complex film. separation processes with highly mixed, dirty plastic infeed streams.

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP WHERE ARE WE NOW? 37 Figure 27 below makes an approximate (e.g. AO Recycling’s new plant in Telford). comparison between the total waste So in mid-2020, the installed capacity is arisings of rigid ELV and WEEE plastics probably closer to 60 – 65 kT (as output and the volumes arriving at advanced polymer product or washed flake) for UK reprocessing sites. There is an WEEE and ELV plastics in the UK [ this estimated 30 – 35% loss of ‘rigid plastic’ equates to around 120 – 140 kT capacity in the primary treatment/metal sorting measured as ‘input mixed shred’ to sites and then an estimated 174 kT of those re-processor sites]. mixed rigid plastic shred available after The figures above suggest that about primary treatment for onward advanced 80 kT (+/- 20%) of WEEE and ELV plastic sorting and reprocessing. In mid-2019, shred generated by primary treatment/ only around 36% of that available shred shredding sites is not being reprocessed volume was actually entering the final through UK facilities. Up until recently, reprocessing step in UK plants. [Note: much of this would have been exported. Rigid moulded parts are estimated as circa 50% of the many formats of plastics used in motor cars, so excluding items such as seating foams and textiles.]

All sites interviewed were predicting significant tonnage increase over the coming three to five years. Since that time, other new players have entered the market to process mixed shredded plastics from small domestic appliances (SDAs) and refrigerator treatment plastic

FIGURE 27: UK WEEE and ELV rigid plastic arisings Source: Data in table sourced from direct discussions with UK main players – Q2 2019

UK WEEE and ELV rigid Lost in Plastic % of UK Input UK plastic arisings primary shred arising tonnes treatment available processed reprocessed site for 2019 t/yr recycling ex ELV 152,250 53,288 98,963 30% 45,000 ex WEEE 116,889 42,008 74,882 44% 51,000 Total 269,139 95,295 173,844 36% 96,000

38 1.8 Levels of recycled plastics being used back into new products

Once material has been reprocessed andPlastic FIGURE Package: 28: Converting Top 10 export of post-consumer destinations recyclates2019 emerges from the waste sector ready by applications 2018 to be used in the manufacture of new products, it is essential there is enough demand to absorb these products. These end markets are what drives the recycling system and delivers the value E E from the material from an environmental A and economical perspective. This section looks at the data available on end markets for plastic. This information is O limited and is an area where more data is needed. A 1.8.1 Use of recycled plastics BC in all sectors

As mentioned, there is currently limited data available on recycled plastic within products. However, a recent European study for PlasticsEurope produced the approximate distribution of recyclate use across the main application types for the P UK in 2018 year. (See Figure 28)

This data refers to post-consumer Source: PlasticsEurope sources of recyclates and is based upon an assumed UK total converter demand for polymers of 4 MT. Construction and This lack of reliable data on the actual building products account for 134 kT levels of plastic recyclates being used at 48% of all recyclate use, packaging is across the major polymer product next at 27% and the total volume used is categories probably indicates why there around 275 kT or approximately 7 – 8% has been a recent strong focus on of the total converted plastic material. ‘Monitoring and Reporting’ under the The more complex technical products, European DG GROW ‘Circular Plastics such as automotive and electricals, Alliance’ (CPA).58 All the major plastics show disappointingly low uptake of consumption sectors have been tasked recycled plastics in comparison to their with reporting on the current level of virgin polymer consumption levels. It is recycled plastics used in making their important to note there are a number products by the end of 2020. The BPF of examples, including those presented has a partnership agreement to use in this report, where companies have the MOnitoring Recyclates for Europe incorporated significant percentages of (MORE) tool in the UK to monitor recycled materials. the uptake of recycled polymers into Across Europe as a whole, 4 MT57 of products. recyclate is used in new products from post-consumer sources, with a similar breakdown across each sector.

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP WHERE ARE WE NOW? 39 40 1.8.2 Use of recycled plastic back into UK plastics packaging

Blow-moulded, mono-layer bottles in PET and HDPE have been using high-quality, closed-loop polymer recyclates for many years, with some manufacturers adding 30 – 50% of recycled material. There are even examples of 100% recycled content used such as Tesco’s carrier bags and Faerch’s DPE MAPET®II tray. up to 40% Thermoformed PET tray packs are also DPE a high-volume user of super-washed 20 – 25% flakes, with the ability to add up to 95% A recycled content into extruded sheet by DPE use of A-B-A layer structures, where the recycled material is sandwiched between outer layers of virgin food-grade PET.

With the huge media and consumer focus on ‘plastics’ that has arisen aware of a Recycled Content Verification following the ‘Blue Planet effect’, there System (RCVS) RECOUP has proposed as are now even greater drivers for brands part of its tax response. to actively promote and market their use of recycled content. In bottled water As mentioned, a number of companies and soft drinks, it is not uncommon to are using high levels of recycled content, see packs labelled with ‘Made from 100% and there are commitments in place for recycled plastic’ or ‘More than 50% rPET’. even higher recycled content. However, across the whole UK PET blow-moulded This sudden increase in demand for rPET bottle market, average level of recycled has led to food contact rPET attaining content was estimated to be around up to a 50% premium over virgin PET 15 – 18% in 2019.60 in 2019. This proves that once recycled content becomes a marketing attribute, In the UK market for HDPE natural food- the ‘supply: demand’ dynamics become grade dairy bottles, some producers less linked to virgin market pricing. This have used up to 40% recycled HDPE in clearly challenges the long-held belief their milk bottles. However, limitations that ‘recycled plastics’ must always be in supply of material and technical sold as a discounted percentage of the challenges mean that the average prime polymer price index. recycled content in this pack type is probably around 20 – 25%.61 There are concerns in some parts of the industry that this may result in fraud as Within the packaging market there will virgin material could be sold as ‘recycled be variations in the levels of recycled material’ as it commands a higher price, content used. One of the reasons for particularly in light of the incoming this is the food contact regulations which plastic packaging tax in 2022. In early prevent some applications being able 2020, there were some press reports to use any recycled content. The BPF 59 of such activity and the BPF strongly has produced a guidance document ‘Recycled Content Used in supports the need for a recycled content ‘Recycled Content Used in Packaging Packaging Applications’ verification certification scheme to avoid Applications’ which sets out these www.bpf.co.uk/recycledcontent this in the future. The BPF is ready to restrictions and provides advice on using work with government to develop a recycled content. robust certification scheme. The BPF is

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP WHERE ARE WE NOW? 41 The latest annual report from WRAP’s all of the major food, drink and grocery UK Plastic Pact, Blazing a Trail on brands in Europe in the past 24 months. Plastics, estimated that the average Below are some recently made level of recycled plastics being used by statements by leading brands. its members in 2019 was 13% across There is also innovation taking place all pack-formats. This figure reflects the which gives the potential for further use much lower levels of recycled content of recycled content. A project between that are technically possible in multi- Tesco, Plastic Energy, SABIC, Sealed Air layer, thin film packs and food-contact and Bradbury’s Cheese has recently PP PTT. announced that the first food-grade Taking this 13% figure as representative recycled flexible packaging is on the shelf of ALL UK consumer packaging would in Tesco.62 indicate an average packaging market There is little available data on the levels consumption of recycled plastic for 2019 of recycled plastics being incorporated at around 190 kT although this volume into Commercial & Industrial (C&I) will be dominated by the ‘main user’ pack packaging products, even though that and polymer formats mentioned in the represents a further ~800 kT of volume examples above (i.e. PET bottle and tray; in the UK and there are many types of HDPE dairy market). industrial packaging that do represent With the UK Plastics Pact members (who good end-markets for recyclates, for represent approximately 80% of retail example: plastic boxes and crates; volume) having a declared target to reach plastic pallets; thick-wall protective cover 30% recycled content by 2025 (and the sheeting. On the assumption that market soon-expected 30% plastic tax), this figure and regulatory drivers will also impact will need to more than double to around upon the C&I packaging sector, then 450 kT of recycled content in plastic a similar 2025 average 30% recycled packaging over the next four years. content target would equate to a further 240 kT of demand for recyclate. It is While a predicted growth in demand for worth noting that certain formats of C&I recycled plastic of 300% sounds very already use higher levels of recycled optimistic, it is supported by a long list content. of declarations and claims made across

N E 2020 targets 2025 targets 2025 target 2025 target 25% E A 25% rPET 25% H 50% 25% 30% rPP 50% rPET Display trays shrink films 50% rPE

42 2.8.3 Where ELV and WEEE engagement with the recycling sector FIGURE 29: Output plastic markets recyclates are being used to to help maximise recycled content. – WEEE and ELaV make new products Both these sectors have had producer responsibility regulations in place since Output Plastic markets – WEEE & A 2019 survey conducted across the four ELV UK 2005 – 2008 in the UK, but this has main players in the UK who reprocess not led to high levels of recyclate use. Market WEEE and ELV waste treatment sites End Markets % share European recyclers have recently called indicated a combined annual output for more ambitious targets to be set Automotive parts 8% as polymer compound in the range of under the ELV Directive review. This is E&E goods 10% 45 – 50 kT. This is made up primarily of to increase the use of recycled plastics Packaging/coat-hangers 11% injection grade PP (over 50%) and then and improve eco-design to enable higher Construction/pipes 36% PS (or High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS)) recovery rates, as follows: plus some ABS and a small amount of Furniture parts 12% PC/ABS. ‘Gradual and fully achievable recycled Horticulture/plant pots 4% content targets for post-consumer Cosmetics 2% The 2019 survey also gave a combined thermoplastics in new cars should be set as spread of the output markets into which Traders – unknown 17% follows: - 25% by 2025, - 30% by 2030 and, those polymers are being supplied as 100% - 35% by 2035.’ – EuRIC Position paper shown in figure 29. Feb 2020.67 Geographic split The construction pipe market (for Export market 47% Some vehicle manufacturers have taken generic grey/black PP into drainage UK based 53% leading positions on this subject: goods) represents the largest end-use Source: direct interviews – Q2 2019 market at 36%. Furniture parts and • Volvo – 25% recycled plastic in every 68 garment-hangers cover the next 23%. new car from 2025. The ‘low’ 8% figure for automotive parts • Ford – Ford used 1.2 billion plastic and 10% for E&E goods reflects higher bottles a year for vehicle parts.69 technical specifications and tightly • Renault – 36% of the total mass of controlled supplier sourcing systems. a newly produced vehicle in Europe While these tend to dominate use within comes from recycled material.70 those industries, there is also a lack of

FIGURE 30: Output plastic markets – WEEE and ELV

A E E C

P C E F

Geographic split

C

End Markets – Market % share

Source: direct interviews – Q2 2019

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP WHERE ARE WE NOW? 43 It is expected that the growing European FIGURE 31: Recovinyl Traceability Survey 2019: Usage of 2018 r-PVC focus on a circular economy under the Recovinyl traceability survey 2019: Usage of 2018 R-PVC Green Deal will add momentum to the drive for greater use of recycled plastics. As part of this, the signatories of the A CPA71 have a target of 10 MT of recycled plastic used back into consumer goods by 2025 from a baseline of C E 5 MT. With over 200 signatories to the CPA Declaration document and a structured working group programme O already running, the BPF expect to see many more well-known brands making and profiles similarly strong statements to those C listed above. R 1.8.4 The PVC example – use in new products Figure 32 below shows the industries which PVC is sold into across Europe. The most significant market is windows and profiles at 32% with traffic F management, pipes and floor covering being the next biggest markets. Traffic P

Source: VinylPlus 2020, Progress report 2020 – Reporting on 2019 Activities

44 Future vision ‘Plastics Recycling 2030,’the end-destination goals 46 2. Future vision – ‘Plastics Recycling 2030’ – the end-destination goals

In this section, we look at an overall of Figure 32 provides an overview of the UK plastic waste arisings in 2020 and management of post-consumer plastic the split between recycling, recovery waste between 2006 and 2018.73 and other disposal routes. After this, This graph shows a rapid increase we present a vision for what the UK in post-consumer plastic recycling plastic recycling could be like in 2030. of over 150% from 2006. Expanding This vision has been put together taking kerbside recycling systems, establishing into account the views of experts in the collections for WEEE and ELV, the industry and is ambitious but shows continued influence of legislation as what can be achieved with the right well as re-educating the public to view investment and drivers in place. With their waste in a different way have all the global market for plastic recycling contributed to the rapid increase. The expected to grow to $34.4 billion recycling rate is now 32% for all post- by 2025, there is an opportunity for consumer plastic, which is significantly significant changes over the next higher than the global formal recycling decade.72 R rate of 14 – 18%.74 R E Disposal/Landfill FIGURE 32: Development of post-consumer plastic waste in the UK 2006 – 2018

ONNAGE

YEAR

Disposal/Landfill R R E R

Source: PlasticsEurope/Conversio

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP FUTURE VISION 47 FIGURE 33: Export of Plastic Waste from UK to World (2005-2019)

Export of Plastic Waste from UK to World (2005-2019)

M

PC COLLECED ANNALLY G

Source: UN Comtrade Database https://comtrade.un.org/data/ accessed 16.06.2020

Within this time, landfill has decreased beginning to decrease, with 2019 volume by nearly 70% (to 882 kT) which, in shown as 575 kT, but the reliance on part, is due to the increasing cost of export is going to continue until there landfill due to the landfill tax as well are enough UK facilities available to as a recognition of this not being the handle the material. best environmental solution for waste. This has also contributed to the biggest increase, which was in EFW of over 650% (to 1,802 kT).

It is once again worth stating that the export market does play a significant part in the recycling tonnages reported. Figure 33 does show that export is

48 2.1 UK plastic waste estimate for 2020

Figure 34 shows a summary made by Higher estimate – works from the overall The ‘Median Estimate’ column has then combining the various estimates used bulk waste flow to the residual stream been used to reflect mid-point between to create the individual sections of this and composition analysis applied to these two data sets for a ‘normal’ 2020 report. It compares two methodologies those flows. year (i.e. assuming no huge Covid-19 for estimating UK waste flow, and for impact on markets and waste arisings). The major difference in the two 2019 simplicity 2019 data has been used This is to allow for a ‘normal’ baseline columns can be seen in the ‘Energy from when available (Note – 2020 actual year to be used as the foundation for the Waste’ estimates, where an additional figures are unlikely to follow a normal future 2030 predicted tonnages. 1,230 kT of waste plastic is estimated to trend as a result of the Covid-19 be entering the EFW disposal route in pandemic). ‘higher’. In the ‘Recycling’ section of the Lower estimate – combines estimates table, the reported NWPD figures have based upon the Plastic Flow 2025 report, been used in both ‘higher’ and ‘lower’ Defra figures (for packaging flows) and estimates, but the volume of non- information described earlier in this packaging is shown to be increased. report for non-packaging waste arisings and recycling volume estimates.

FIGURE 34: UK Plastic Waste Flows Estimate for 2020

UK Plastics Waste Flows Comparison of estimate methods 000’s tonne % Tot. Waste Lower estimate Higher estimate Median Estimate As INPUT volume to:- 2019 % 2019 % 2020 %

Total Plastic Waste 3765 100% 5420 100% 4593 100%

Mech. Recycling UK - Packaging 450 12% 450 8% 450 10% Mech. Recycling UK - Other Plastic 250 7% 350 6% 300 7% Export Recycling - Packaging 690 18% 690 13% 690 15% Export Recycling - Other Plastic 150 4% 250 5% 200 4% Non-mechanical Recycling UK - 0 0% 10 0% 5 0% Packaging Non-mechanical Recycling UK - other 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% Total Recycling 1540 41% 1750 32% 1645 36%

Energy from Waste UK 1520 40% 2750 51% 2135 46% Compost / AD 5 0.1% 20 0.4% 13 0.3% Landfill 700 19% 900 17% 800 17% Residual + Compost Total 2225 3670 2948 Plastic Packaging in Residual Waste 1220 32% 2250 42% 1735 38% Other Plastic in Residual waste 1000 27% 1400 26% 1200 26% Plastic IN Residual waste 2220 3650 2935 Total UK Residual Waste MT 25 25 25 Plastic % in Residual Waste 9% 15% 12%

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP FUTURE VISION 49 2.2 Predicted UK waste plastic flows in 2030

FIGURE 35: Key changes needed to achieve the vision for 2030

L O G

Unified designed Specific product Key changes needed to achieve A RC vision for 2030 Significant

Kerbside film PRNPERN

B C A A designed fiscal

50 Key assumptions

To estimate these plastics flows, the following assumptions have been made and expert views have been sought:

• Total plastic tonnage going into the waste • Mechanical recycling in advanced UK-based stream remains stable for the next decade. sorting, cleaning and reprocessing plants is • There is no longer reliance on low-quality operating efficiently and is used for all suitable export. Export takes place where it is the best waste resource infeed materials. environmental outcome. Material which has • Plastic waste to landfill in 2030 is minimal. It is reached end-of-waste status will also continue used in exceptional circumstances or for to be exported. material not suitable for recycling or EFW. • Non-mechanical recycling technologies are • High-quality UK-produced plastic recyclate proven at significant scale and infrastructure is used in both closed-loop and open-loop is installed and working as a complementary applications, to deliver environmentally technology to mechanical recycling. Non- sustainable benefits to the UK manufacturing mechanical recycling is counted as ‘recycling’. industry. • Biodegradable and compostable polymers are • There is a significant increase in the amount of used where there is an established end of life recyclate incorporated into all plastic products. collection and management system in place • EPR is put in place for packaging and other already, so they pose no risk of contaminating legislative drivers being developed all have a the mechanical recycling streams or the meaningful positive impact on the industry. environment. • Waste crime will have been significantly • EFW plants are still used for those highly reduced with the right level of enforcement contaminated, hazardous or complex plastics and penalties in place to deter criminals where no suitable material recycling option exists. The capacity for EFW is predicted in the report by Tolvik Consulting ‘Filling the Gap – The Future for Residual Waste in the UK’ to remain consistent through to 2030. The level of plastics within the overall residual waste infeed mix drops, as new recycling technologies come on stream and waste-to-energy producers seek low calorific value waste fuels and try to reduce long-life carbon impact from exhaust stack gas flows to atmosphere.

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP FUTURE VISION 51 Figure 37 shows the overall picture for FIGURE 36: UK plastics waste flows 2020 and vision for 2030 predicted UK waste plastics flows in 2030. To achieve this vision for 2030 will Future Prediction UK Plastics Waste Flows require significant changes across the 2020 % 2030 % whole value chain and most importantly Total Plastic Waste 4593 100% 4600 100% investment in UK recycling infrastructure UK Mechanical 750 16% 2300 50% to stop the reliance on export. Without Recycling the drivers outlined in this roadmap, Export to Recycling 890 19% 400 9% the forecast will not be achievable. This Non-mechanical 5 0% 300 7% will leave the UK reliant on waste export Recycling and investment not taking place in new Compost / AD 13 0% 150 3% facilities or technologies. Figure 36 sets Total Recycling out the areas where change will need 1645 35% 3150 69% and composting to occur and Section 2.2 describes this in more detail. Figure 36 summarises the predicted future flows for waste Energy from Waste 2135 46% 1400 30% plastics through the main channels Landfill 800 17% 50 1% of UK recycling, recovery and landfill Total Residual 2935 63% 1450 31% options. For simplicity, we have chosen the mid-point estimate for total plastics waste arisings at 4,593 kT and, to aid clarity, have made an assumption that earlier) drops by over 30%. Non- plastic waste arising volumes will remain mechanical recycling technologies deliver broadly level over the next decade (i.e. 7% of UK waste re-processing capability nil volume growth in waste generated).75 (this is less than what has been provided by McKinsey & Company for European In the vision for 2030 it is assumed overall, which is 17%).76 that there will be significant increases in the capture rates for all materials. That would deliver an overall plastic packaging collection for recycling rate of FIGURE 37: UK waste plastic flow 2020 and 2030 (Forecast) ~75% in 2030.

Figure 37 compares the end of life options for 2030 with 2020. As mentioned, export will be significantly reduced, and landfill will be minimal (1%). Composting and anaerobic digestion becomes 3% of the overall mix and would be through a separate stream. Plastics waste volume destined for EFW plants (including Refuse-derived Fuel (RDF) and Solid RecoveredFuel(SRF) as mentioned

ONNAGE ONNE

Landfill E Non-mechanical Recycling Export to Recycling UK Mechanical Recycling 2020 2030 YEAR

52

? not exist Mechanical recycling technologies advance in capability and efficiency to deliver more than three times current 2020 capacity. Although not shown as part of the forecast, by 2030 there will be more reusable packaging on the market.

FIGURE 38: End of life destinations for plastic waste from 2006 - 2020 and forecasted to 2030

ONNE

Landfill tonnage

ONNE

ONNE

ONNE A F YEAR Source: 2006 - 2020 - PlasticsEurope/Conversio; 2021 - 2030 - BPF

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP FUTURE VISION 53 Non- Mechanical Recycling Split by sector in 2030 FIGUREMechanical 39: Recycling Mechanical Split by recycling sector in 2030 FIGUREExport Recycling 40: Export split recyclingby sector in 2030forecast FIGURE 41: Non-mechanical recycling forecast split by sector split by sector forecast split by sector

ONNAGE ONNE ONNAGE ONNE ONNAGE ONNE

These estimates have been plotted sectors, particularly export. It is slightly O alongside existing data in the figures less dominant in the non-mechanical T below to show how they fit in with recycling sector. This forecast was general trend (in reality the progress to based on an expectation that with a 2030 will not be a straight line). Other focus on design for recycling, better EEE E than EFW, the rest of the end of life separation technology and consistent EV options remain in line with previous data. collections, in the next decade there will be less ‘difficult to recycle’ plastics The three graphs above (Figures 39 - 41) in the packaging sector. However, break up this forecast further. They longer-life plastics in other sectors which show how the forecast for mechanical need more treatment for strength, recycling, non-mechanical recycling and etc. will often remain harder to recycle export will be split between packaging, mechanically. construction, WEEE, etc.

As can be seen, packaging will be the dominant market in each of these

54 2.3 What will the plastic recycling value chain be like in 2030?

2.3.1. Legislation and enforcement Films and flexible plastic should also be part of this set of consistent material as discussed in 2.3.3. Although this roadmap is not examining the potential impact of legislative changes such as By 2030, an agreement should have been reached the ones mentioned in 1.2.4, it is essential that with councils, waste management companies legislation put in place does not have unintended and recyclers on the specification for each of consequences for the UK plastic recycling sector. As these materials. This will include producing a list mentioned in the key drivers, there needs to be the of any specific products which are excluded and right fiscal incentives in place to drive up recycling instructions on how material should be presented rates but in a sustainable way. It also needs to be for collection, e.g. ‘caps & lids on’. This would build recognised that waste infrastructure is critical. on existing guidance.

One of the legislative changes in 1.2.4 is the EPR The collection methods used by councils will also Scheme. It is noted here as it has the opportunity to have started to be simplified by 2030 to create less be a key catalyst in the majority of the drivers and variation while allowing for schemes which meet the changes set out in this section. EPR can provide a needs of different property types and communities. funding mechanism which, if set up to support the This will include collection frequencies and type/ whole value chain, can enable the recycling industry colour of containers. to develop. Separate in-store collections will be provided for By 2030, it is expected that waste crime will have specific items which are not collected through the been significantly reduced with the right level kerbside scheme. An example could be collections of enforcement and penalties in place to deter for coat hangers. criminals – the Environment Agency recently The whole value chain should be working together set up a Joint Unit for Waste Crime to tackle this to increase the range of material which can be issue. There is also a Waste Compliance Taskforce recycled through work on design and advancement (WACT) to get collaborate and cross-sector working in technology. The value chain would meet regularly to engage with regulators and policy makers. A to ensure they are working collaboratively. tracking system for waste discussed in 2.3.11 would also be important to make waste more transparent. The UK should be working towards accepting all types of plastics. This plastic would need to be 2.3.2. Consistent collection service sorted within MRF and PRF. Anything which can across the UK be mechanically recycled would follow this route with other types of plastic going to non-mechanical The government consistent collection reform is recycling facilities. expected by 2023 with all local authorities needing to put in place the collection by 2028. Consistent collection of household-like packaging from C&I sources would come into effect within the same timescales therefore, by 2030, local authorities will be collecting the following set of consistent materials:

• Plastic bottles – including clear drink containers, HDPE (milk containers), detergent, shampoo and cleaning products • PTT including PET trays and PP tubs

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP FUTURE VISION 55 2.3.3. Kerbside film 2.3.4. Recycling of plastic and flexible recycling not collected kerbside

In 2019, only 14%77 of local authorities collected All plastic sectors not collected via kerbside plastic film, and the range of plastic films were collections would need a greater focus on end limited. Supermarkets also offer collections, of life. This would ensure these valuable waste but these are again limited although there are resource streams do not end up in landfill or other commitments to expand these. waste disposal routes. In line with the Circular Economy Action Plan, this could be incentivised Film and flexible need to be part of the core set through extending the level of producer of material under consistent collections and in responsibility to provide a regulatory driver to line with the other materials be put in place by recycle and recover products from construction, 2023 so all councils collect them by 2028. This leisure, toy, sports and industrial product markets. means collections would be established in all local authorities before 2030 with the required sorting The majority of HWRCs in 2030 will include an and reprocessing (both mechanical and non- area/container which accepts large rigid plastic mechanical). The focus in 2030 would therefore be items such as garden furniture and children’s on driving up capture of this material. toys. Facilities will be in place within the UK to mechanically recycle these products (see Recycling There are opportunities for increased film recycling technology). ahead of consistent collection. As Figure 46 shows, most countries are already collecting this material. All electrical stores or shops selling electrical goods Through the UK Plastics Pact there is an aim to get will continue to accept WEEE for recycling, but this 30% of citizens to regularly take film to front-of- will be advertised more widely to increase uptake. store collection points by January 2022. There is Companies will also continue to offer take-back also an industry scheme, the Flexible Plastic Fund, schemes when new electrical items are delivered which is working with the supply chain to provide and allow customers to give additional WEEE items a funding mechanism using a set PRN price to for recycling as part of the scheme. increase the collection of films. This will initially be Small electrical items will be collected as part of through front-of-store collection schemes. kerbside collection schemes and as well as being collected at HWRCs.

FIGURE 42: Flexible packaging POM market by country

I E F include films in household F PA I O O G A F F B P P G N B L C R C Source: Ceflex

56 To allow more niche products to be recycled by 2.3.5. Clear, consistent and engaging 2030, brands will have set up product specific communication collection systems through take-back or collection In the Resources and Waste Strategy it discusses points. These schemes may be linked to the next eco-labels which could be brought in through EPR. product purchase to enhance brand loyalty and trust but also allow brands to recapture their own In 2030, legislation will be in place for all products material for use in future products. to be labelled for recycling with a binary system and clear ‘yes’ or ‘no’ (building on changes made to the It has been predicted that there will be more On-Pack Recycling Label (OPRL)) and also specify compostable and biodegradable packaging in where it can be recycled, e.g. kerbside, retailers. 2030. This will be in niche applications such as Long-life products will also signpost consumers to coffee pods or closed environments like festivals. information on repair/upgrade/reuse options for By 2030, there will be systems in place to capture their products as well as recycling. This information this material and ensure it does not go into the would be available online and, where possible, mechanical recycling stream. would be specific for each product type.

National communication campaigns will take place targeting items known to have lower capture rates. All householders and businesses will receive at least one communication a year on recycling directly to their property as part of an ongoing comprehensive communication programme.

The increase in communication should lead to higher levels of engagement from the public and make it socially unacceptable to not participate fully in recycling.

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP FUTURE VISION 57 2.3.6. Jobs published in June 2018 by Material Economics (which was supported by the Ellen MacArthur There are around 180,000 people employed in Foundation and European Climate Foundation) the UK plastics industry (making it the third-largest estimates that improvements in product design manufacturing sector by employment) with an and materials choice, combined with increased estimated 500,000 either directly or indirectly collections, recycling and improvements in employed (in manufacturing, commerce, transport, underlying technologies, could create an additional real estate, and other industries).78 Investment in €30bn of revenue across Europe. the recycling infrastructure in the UK would create a large number of additional jobs which would 2.3.7. Design gradually be added over the time period to 2030 and would provide much needed employment. Building on ISO 14040: 2020 (Environmental While estimating the number of jobs accurately management — Life cycle assessment — Principles is difficult, the European Strategy for Plastics in and framework), an agreed methodology for life a Circular Economy lays out a vision whereby cycle assessment should be in place by 2030. This “A smart, innovative and sustainable plastics will allow fair and accurate comparisons to be made industry, where design and production fully between products. Life cycle assessment will also respects the needs of reuse, repair, and recycling, be more widely used and form part of all product brings growth and jobs to Europe and helps cut design by 2030. Where full life cycle assessment EU’s greenhouse gas emissions and dependence is not financially viable, simplified tools and on imported fossil fuels.”79 In this, they use an certification should be available online such as the estimate from Plastics Recyclers Europe that states BPF’s PackScore (www.packscore.co.uk) or OPRL’s that if plastics recycling capacity is significantly PREP assessment tool. extended and modernised across the EU by 2030, In 2020, there were already design-for-recyclability a total of 200,000 new jobs could be created across guidelines available such as those by RECOUP, 80 Europe. and organisations were starting to collaborate Not only would investment in the recycling on these to ensure consistency. A unified set of infrastructure create significant jobs, it would design guidelines should be produced in line always generate much-needed revenue. A report with other legislative developments in the UK and

58 made available to designers and manufacturers. 2.3.8. Split target This ensures that the standard for designing and The BPF Recycling Group have been calling since manufacturing in the circular economy is clear 2012 for a split in the recycling target. This split was and prevents any conflicting advice. However, any proposed as it would rebalance the bias in the PRN guidelines or legislation should not stop innovation system towards export and encourage investment taking place (for example by restricting material in UK facilities who, with the current system, struggle choice) which could solve some of the current issues to compete with export markets. The PRN and PERN preventing us from moving to a circular economy. have always been viewed as the same, but they As mentioned, the value chain would regularly meet; should be viewed as two different pieces of evidence, this would provide a forum to raise any concerns the first being for a fully reprocessed material and about design and to enable them to be effectively the second for a bale of unprocessed material. The resolved. Product designers should be encouraged BPF has supported this split target since it was first to work with recyclers to test their products can proposed. work with the current recycling system. The split target has an increasing amount of the With clear ‘yes, no’ binary labelling in place, the public UK’s plastic recycling evidence needing to come can clearly see which products are recyclable which from UK reprocessors through the purchasing would provide an incentive to meet design-for- of PRNs rather than PERNs. This then helps to recyclability guidance to capture consumers whose encourage investment in UK facilities to meet the shopping habits would be influenced by this. Design demand for PRNs. Currently over 60% of plastic for recyclability is desirable as a survey by Viridor packaging is exported, and targets would steadily in 2019 noted that 64% of respondents were more reduce this (55% year 1, 50% year 2, etc). There likely to buy products with recyclable packaging and would need to be an acceleration of this closer to 65% were more likely to buy products with packaging 2030 to reduce to the levels in the forecast. made from recyclable material.81 By encouraging material to stay within the UK it also Sustainable Design for Plastic Packaging' which enables better tracing of the end destination of were the results of a workshop held of the entire waste and ensures it is being properly reprocessed. plastics packaging supply chain. The report and Although EPR is expected by 2023, there is still an other work carried out by the BPF on Ecodesign can opportunity to revise the PRN system ahead of this be found at www.bpf.co.uk/ecodesign. and incorporate these concepts into future EPR.

More information on the split target is available here: www.bpf.co.uk/splittargets.

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP FUTURE VISION 59 2.3.9. End markets The demand for recycled content in non-packaging application will also have grown. Recycled In the first half of the report, some of the content is already used in these products and commitments made by packaging companies to commitments to future use made. For example, incorporate recycled content are outlined and this Apple uses an average of 38% recycled plastic shows a lot of work has already taken place. There across 82 components for products released this are also commitments under the single use Plastics year,82 and Samsung have a target of using 50 kT of Directive for PET bottles to contain 25% recycled recycled plastic by 2020.83 As mentioned in Section content by 2025 and all bottles to contain 30% 2.7.3, there are commitments from the automotive by 2030. The UK Plastics Pact requires members industry of up to 36%. As with packaging, the public to have 30% recycled content by 2025 along with will expect brands they purchase to be contributing the proposed plastic packaging tax of 30% by April to the circular economy through not only 2022. There is also a 10 MT target for recycled enabling recycling to take place but also through content under the Circular Plastics Alliance by 2025. incorporating recycled content. Before 2030 there needs to be a mapping exercise done for each polymer exploring the potential end- market destination in UK closed loop, UK open loop and export for manufacturing. The tonnages each market can absorb need to be understood to help to drive investment for recycling within these areas.

By 2030 there will be a strong market for recyclate with companies committed to using this material and an expectation by the public that packaging they buy contains recycled content. The majority of packaging would contain 30% recycled content in line with the packaging tax with some companies having gone further than this. Although numerous challenges would still be in place for the use of recyclate in food contact, the BPF envisages more regulatory approvals present in 2030 than are in place today, providing an increase in the 130 recycling processes submitted for food contact approval.

More information on the use of recycled content in packaging is available here: www.bpf.co.uk/ recycledcontent.

60 Capacity

Using data presented in the first half of this report, the current capacities in the UK are as follows:

1. Household packaging: 440 kT (this includes some C&I) 2. Film capacity UK: 150–200 kT 3. ELV & WEEE: 135 kT with an output capacity currently of 50 kT (facilities are working at 70% of their capacity as well as losses through the system. 4. There is currently no agreed capacity figure for plastics in the UK, and this is an area which requires research. 5. The BPF estimates the capacity in the UK to be 800–1,000 kT, but this does have an error margin. This is taking into account the above estimates with some additional capacity included for the construction industry (this is based on PVC). 6. As per Figure 36, 2,300 kT of mechanical recycling capacity will be needed in 2030. 7. The Household Plastics Packaging Sorting and Reprocessing Infrastructure Report 2020 estimate that there is 260 kT of planned capacity. This was calculated before Covid-19 so it is expected to have altered but it will be used for the proposes of this vision. 8. To achieve the vision, an estimated additional mechanical recycling capacity of 1–1.3 million tonnes of capacity would be needed. 9. To build these new facilities would cost approximately 1–1.3 billion pounds.84 This is in addition to the 300 kT of non-mechanical recycling capacity needed, which will be an additional cost on top of this. 10. To enable this vision to be reached by 2030, there would need to be significant planning well in advance of this in order for the facilities to be fully operational by this date. The following need to be considered as part of this. • Timescale of the planning process • Lead time for equipment • Build time • Testing of facility

11. In addition to the new facilities, existing facilities would need to be working to high efficiencies, which will be discussed discussed in 2.3.11. 12. Although outside the scope of this report, there would also need to be investment in MRFs and PRFs to ensure there is also enough capacity within these. There are currently 110 MRFs with a capacity of 1,600 –1,900 kT and PRFs with a sorting capacity of 350 kT.85 These figures are both for household and C&I and are the capacities the facilities are capable of handling, so actual operational throughput will vary.

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP FUTURE VISION 61 2.3.10. Recycling technology by the CPA on tracking plastic waste including and standards recyclers’ input and output. The tracking of waste would help to reduce the level of waste crime. To enable the vision by 2030 to take place, there would need to be advancement in technology Non-mechanical recycling technologies would and standards to maximise the material being need to be developed and implemented to ‘fill the reprocessed. gap’ where mechanical recycling is not possible. As already mentioned, this would be part of the Standards for primary sorting plants would need to solution for films. Non-mechanical recycling is ensure they all perform to best-in-class. Facilities examined in more detail in Part 2.4. would need to be bench-marked and visible and transparent data made available on output sorted Enzyme recycling would also be starting to develop. bales. Plants would be moving towards ‘clever In 2020 there is already work being undertaken in sorting’ systems based upon product marking and this area, for example within the Centre of Enzyme using robotics as part of its innovation. Sorting Innovation at University of Portsmouth. technology would be able to separate 2D from 3D Other technological advancements needed would objects. The advancement in technology would help enable an increase in the capture of plastics allow for specific selection of material and help to from durable goods. This would move from a reduce losses of target material. focus on shredding to mainly capture metal from Clear quality standards would be in place for each disassembly of products. This would allow for any part of the recycling process including collection, hazardous parts to be identified and correctly sorting and reprocessing. These standards would disposed of and for the remainder of the product to be required by all companies, and the same be recycled. standards would be needed for material exported. Reprocessing plants would need to operate at For example, countries such as Germany and higher efficiencies by 2030 to allow for the capture France already have standards in place. of higher amounts of plastic. This would be possible The key role of the standards will be to drive up through the other measures already outlined such quality. This is essential to ensure facilities can as improved design. maximise recycling and reduce any losses in the system.

A system would be in place to be able to trace waste so it can be audited through the recycling system and into a new product. This would provide the needed confidence in recycling which will help motivate people to recycle. The Environment Bill already includes powers to introduce an electronic system of waste tracking, and money has been committed to this. Work has also already started

62 2.4 Non-mechanical recycling – part of the future solution for waste plastics?

2.4.1 Chemical Recycling Challenge Fund will be investing in three projects which use chemical recycling, showing that it is seen Chemical recycling is seen as a solution for as a key recycling area. Below explains in more ‘difficult to recycle plastic’ such as multi-layer detail how the different technologies work and the films, heavily printed and filled plastics or complex opportunities they present. components. It has attracted attention as it also has the potential to satisfy food contact regulations More information is available on Plastipedia: where not possible through existing technology. In https://www.bpf.co.uk/plastipedia/chemical- October 2020 UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) recycling-101.aspx. announced that their Industry Strategy

Four main types of chemical recycling processes are used to break down plastic materials to varying degrees, as follows:

1. Chemical depolymerisation 2. Pyrolysis This technique involves a process by which a Also known as feedstock recycling, this polymer is converted into a monomer via a technique for recycling is the heating of chemically aided route.86 A typical use of this polymer at elevated temperatures in the method is for PET which is broken down to absence of oxygen to produce hydrocarbon monoethylene glycol (MEG).87 raw materials which can then be used for polymer manufacture. Pyrolysis is typically used for polymers such as polystyrene (produces styrene as main product) and polyethylene (produces 1-phenylbenzene as main product).88

3. Gasification 4. Hydrothermal treatment This technique involves the partial oxidation Hydrolysis is a process where a compound of a polymer to produce ‘Syngas’ (a mixture of is broken down by water molecules in near-

CO, CO2, H2 and CH3) through heating with an critical conditions, with temperatures of about oxidising agent.89 In most cases the gas is then 160 – 240°C and the pressure needed to keep combusted for energy generation, although the water in a liquid state. This causes reactions ethanol can be made from the gases and used of hydrolysis, dehydration, decarboxylation to create polyethylene. and depolymerisation. This process produces synthetic crude oil.

The above processing technologies will either Non-mechanical recycling can be considered as a produce a ‘chemical feedstock’, monomer or polymer complementary solution to mechanical recycling which can be converted back into the raw material as its feedstock is normally focused on material for products. These can therefore be considered as which cannot be mechanically recycled. There have a type of recycling and should be counted towards been a range of life cycle assessments done looking recycling figures. Although the stage in the process at chemical recycling, and it compares favourably the material is returned varies, all maintain the with incineration and landfill, which would be the original material-value and enable a circular flow alternative end of life option. ‘Chemical recycling of plastic to take place. Each process type has a involves some loss of carbon as C02, but the C02 different level of energy demand and output mass savings can be as much as 75% with technologies yield of useful product; solvolysis and monomer now under development’.90 recycling giving 95%+ useful yield, hydrothermal treatment 85% and pyrolysis near 50%.

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP FUTURE VISION 63 3.4.2 Purification To help non-mechanical recycling to develop, the following is needed: In addition to the above technologies, there is also purification, under which solvent dissolution sits. 1. Harmonised recycling and recycled content As this process returns a polymer as opposed definitions that are consistent with the countries to a monomer or chemical building block, it is in the EU considered as non-mechanical recycling, but not 2. Legal acceptance of a mass balance approach chemical recycling. Solvent dissolution is therefore - an example of mass balance is the Ellen complementary to both mechanical and chemical MacArthur Foundation White Paper ‘Enabling a recycling. circular economy for chemicals with the mass 92 Also known as solvolysis, this technique involves balance approach’ utilising a particular solvent to dissolve a given 3. Public sector support to accelerate production feedstock (e.g. Low density polyethylene (LDPE)) scale development of the technology into polymeric raw material.91 It can result in a 4. Access to plastic waste feedstock (at present high-purity recyclate with additives and impurities much of the feedstock required for non- removed, as well as a low yield loss and fewer mechanical recycling is presently not collected for byproducts than pyrolysis. The recyclate also has recycling from consumer households in the UK) the potential for food contact applications. 5. The consistent collection by councils in the UK of all plastic packaging waste to commence in 2023 with all local authorities needing to be collecting these materials by 2028 6. In common with mechanical recycling, improved quality standards for pre-sorted plastic waste to be pursued in the UK and harmonised with other countries observing the Basel Convention 7. End of waste approved and granted on a timely basis.

64 Non-mechanical recycling companies in the BPF Recycling Group

Below are statements made by each company on their future plans including the capacity they are planning to build.

Recycling Technologies ReNew ELP

Recycling Technologies has developed and patented a ReNew ELP, based in Wilton, North East England, are pyrolysis-based recycling machine, RT7000, to recycle a due to begin construction of the world’s first commercial- range of household and commercial plastic wastes. The scale Cat-HTR™ plastic recycling site in early 2021. company has a pilot plant in Swindon and a current project The hydrothermal upgrading technology, which uses to install a full-scale commercial RT7000 in Scotland at the supercritical water to convert plastic waste into short- Binn Ecopark, due on stream in 2021, with other RT7000s in chain, stable hydrocarbons, produces a range of valuable the pipeline thereafter. The Recycling Technologies business chemicals and oils including naphtha. These products model is to centrally build the modular units, each with a can be used as a direct replacements for fossil sourced throughput of 7,000 tonnes per annum, so that they can be feedstocks in the manufacture of new polymers and other shipped and installed at existing waste management sites products for the petrochemical industry. The first phase of to recycle suitable local plastic waste streams into Plaxx®. build is for a 20,000tpa line, which will be complete in 2022, Plaxx comprises a wax fraction and liquid oil fractions, the with focus on recycling post-consumer, mixed rigid and latter for onward sale to petrochemical processors for use flexible packaging waste. Phase 2 will see the construction of as a feedstock in new plastics production. The company has a further 60,000 t/yr capacity, due to come online in 2024. plans to supply around 50 such units across the UK by 2030, renewelp.co.uk diverting each year 350,000 tonnes of plastic waste from landfill or incineration. recyclingtechnologies.co.uk

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP FUTURE VISION 65 FIGURE 43: Location of pilot non-mechnical recycling plants or plants under construction

P 1. R T Plant E

2. RV P Pilot plant E 3. E P Plant 4-5. RENE E HQ and Plant: Office N236 R TS RF

6-7. HQ and plant R TS RF 8. T Pilot plant I 16. T R TS RF HQ S N N F 9. E Plant U E

10. E HQ I N R T 15. 11. R T Pilot plant S HQ R S R S E S SN N 13. S F 12. E R T Pilot plant HQ 14. U EV HQ U S S R I E S SN T R R

6666 Future capacity for non-mechnical recycling In addition to Recycling Technologies and ReNew ELP, below are other companies the BPF are aware are planning to build capacity or have existing facilities for non-mechanical recycling in the UK. Below are statements made by them.

Enval Poseidon Plastics Ltd Enval treats plastic better, enabling the recycling of valuable Poseidon Plastics Ltd is a chemical recycler of waste PET via a resources and paving the way for environmentally responsible glycolysis platform. Poseidon's unique and efficient process takes packaging solutions. We have developed a unique, proprietary all types of PET waste and mixed waste and converts back to a pyrolysis solution for low density packaging waste and our pseudo monomer material for the production of virgin quality input materials include laminated materials and aluminium PET materials for packaging and fibre markets. laminates. By applying cutting edge innovation to packaging Poseidon's first commercial demonstration will be a planned recycling, Enval makes previously unrecyclable plastic valuable. 15ktpa plant in Teesside, NE UK. This facility is being supported We enable fast moving consumer goods (FMCGs) to strengthen by a UK Gov SSPP grant with partners in the supply chain profitable and sustainable brands while complying with new project from waste sourcing and separation to final product regulations and transform the waste sector by opening up deployment as recycled PET (rPET). Once the 15ktpa plant is new revenue streams for waste handlers. Enval is changing complete and proven, Poseidon will build on the technology the perception of plastic and unlocking a profitable circular and plans to build a ca 100ktpa facility on the same site economy. Enval have a full scale commercial plant in Alconbury commencing 2023. and are building a second plant due for completion in June 21. enval.com Teesside is ideally located for this development having the two UK PET manufacturers both located here and supported by Low Sulphur Fuels deep water port and close-by network of roads and motorways Low Sulphur Fuels patented Fast Electrochemical Process to facilitate transportation and product sales. (FEP) converts post mechanical recycled and other non- poseidonplastics.com recyclable plastic into a broad-range naphtha, equivalent to the Platts spec. LSF’s chemical recycling process is also able to Quantafuel process other used hydrocarbon containing feedstocks. The Quantafuel UK Ltd is a chemical recycler with a proven unique company currently operates a pilot plant, and they are working technology and plans to build four plants, each of 80,000 on scaling up the technology and will operate a number of tonnes capacity within the next four years at locations within hubs across Europe each with a capacity of 50,000 – 150,000 the UK. tonnes/yr as well as licensing the technology to customers. quantafuel.com LSF was endorsed this year by the Solar Impulse Foundation as they were selected as one of 1,000 global solutions that can ReVentas protect the environment in a profitable, sustainable way. ReVentas is a ground breaking technology which can filter and purify Polyethylene and Polypropylene of all odours, colours lowsulphco.com and contaminants, without the need for further costly and Plastic Energy environmentally unfriendly petrochemical processing, resulting in an ultra pure virgin-like plastic material. Plastic Energy uses patented Thermal Anaerobic Conversion (TAC) technology to convert end-of-life plastics into recycled Worn Again – Technologies oils, called TACOIL, which are being used as a replacement for Worn Again Technologies has commissioned a R&D recycling fossil oils to create new virgin-quality plastics. Plastic Energy pilot plant in Redcar, UK, to prove their regenerative polymer currently has two commercial plants in Spain that have been technology, which uses a dissolution process to purify and in operation for the past three years. In addition to developing recapture both PET resin and cellulose pulp (from cotton) from projects across Europe, in May 2020 they signed an agreement PET bottles, plastic packaging and also from polyester and with Viridor, who will supply plastic waste as feedstock for a new polycotton textiles, PET bottles and plastic packaging. The long- chemical recycling plant in Scotland with a capacity of 30,000 term vision is to license multiple plants globally. tonnes per annum, which should be operational in 2023. Plastic wornagain.co.uk Energy also recently signed an agreement with Nestlé UK and Ireland to support the feasibility study for a recycling project in the UK. plasticenergy.com

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP FUTURE VISION 67 Questions for the experts We asked three experts the following four questions, and below are presented their responses.

Q1. What do you think ‘Plastics Recycling UK’ will (or Q3. How important is the role of innovation should) be like in 2030 compared to 2020? and new technology (including chemical recycling and sorting technology) in delivering the recycling Q2. What do you think the medium-term (two to system of the future? five year) impact will be of Covid-19 on recycling in the UK? Q4. Will EFW still have a part to play for plastics waste in 2030?

Stuart Foster CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER RECOUP

Q1. What do you think ‘Plastics Recycling UK’ It is critical that UK plastic sorting and reprocessing will (or should) be like in 2030 compared to infrastructure is protected and developed over the 2020? next five years. Volatility of demand will remain a In 2030, UK plastic recycling will be better. concern, but maintaining ambitious commitments More plastics recycled in UK value chains, more to recycled content in packaging, and increasing infrastructure and innovation to efficiently collect activity and demand in the automotive and and sort plastics, more products and packaging construction industries, would support the use of with end of life solutions designed in, better metrics significant additional tonnages of recycled plastic, and ways of measuring carbon and resource while a return to pre Covid oil prices would support efficiency, and more positive wide-scale consumer the commercial drivers in place to use recycled and business engagement with the reduce, reuse, content. recycle approach. Q3. How important is the role of innovation I am optimistic that with implementation of and new technology (including chemical effective policies and measures supported by an recycling and sorting technology) in delivering evolution in extended producer responsibility, the the recycling system of the future? UK can become world leaders in plastic resource Ongoing innovation will be needed, and some management, recycling and environmental radical thinking and new approaches must be protection in the next 10 years. adopted. Commercialising new innovation does take time, but the level of activity already in the sector Q2. What do you think the medium-term (two is positive, and some of the new developments will to five year) impact will be of Covid-19 on recycling in the UK? shape the recycling systems of the future. The same Changes in material demand, supply chain principle applies for reuse and refill opportunities. requirements and risks mean all parts of the Q4. Will EFW still have a part to play for plastic resource chain in the UK have been plastics waste in 2030? impacted in some way by Covid. But I believe we Yes. If we have reached a position in 2030 where will see a continuation of the fundamental shift the UK controls all plastic at end of life so there is in attitude towards improved long-term use of no plastic leakage into the environment that would plastic resources and the development of circular be a success, even if we are still working towards economy models. It is yet to become clear how more circular and resource efficient systems. ‘green recovery’ ambitions will play out and how these translate into tangible sustainable actions. EFW technology has markedly improved in the past 20 years, and provides a power, heat and carbon There will be ongoing considerations around the capture opportunity. EFW may also help transition availability of physical resources, ranging from to a system which minimises the landfilling or ingredients for food products to fit-for-purpose shipping of plastic waste abroad. However, I material available for packaging, to human recognise that this does not fit with long-term resources and consistent staffing levels. It should resource efficiency and circular economy ambitions, not be overlooked that low oil prices have put so a scaling-back of EFW as a viable plastic waste additional downwards price pressure on virgin management option after 2030 is a consideration. polymers, in turn impacting recycled polymer demand.

68 Adrian Whyle RESOURCE EFFICIENCY SENIOR MANAGER PLASTICSEUROPE

Q1. What do you think ‘Plastics Recycling UK’ Q3. How important is the role of innovation will (or should) be like in 2030 compared to and new technology (including chemical 2020? recycling and sorting technology) in delivering In 2030, recycling is likely to be different as we know the recycling system of the future? it today. It is most likely that chemical recycling will The Research and Innovation agenda is essential have achieved scale and be working hand-in-hand in providing the catalyst for UK industry and has a with mechanical recycling in achieving recycling critical role throughout the value chain. This starts rates that are unimaginable today. with new systems for collection, advanced sorting technologies that may use enhanced digital image Q2. What do you think the medium-term (two analysis including watermarks and digital barcodes to five year) impact will be of Covid-19 on to fully recyclable packaging formats that have recycling in the UK? enhanced protective properties as well as advanced It is likely that Covid-19 will be still with us, and if this mechanical and chemical recycling technologies. is the case, packaging is likely to play an increasingly important role. For the recovery of UK PLC, it is Q4. Will EFW still have a part to play essential that the UK Government invests in a for plastics waste in 2030? green recovery that ensures that UK businesses, EFW is likely to be at a much-reduced level from particularly those engaged in the Circular Economy, that today as plastics are eagerly sought for are able to thrive in the future recycling.

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP FUTURE VISION 69 Phillip Law DIRECTOR-GENERAL BRITISH PLASTICS FEDERATION

Q1. What do you think Plastics Recycling UK Depending on how long the overall recovery takes will or should be in 2030 compared to 2020? the current low prices of virgin materials, at least I’m hoping that by 2030 many of the lessons partly a function of Covid-19 , which have affected learnt in the last 20 years will have been digested the competition of recycled plastics might rise to and implemented in public policy and individual a higher level. company practice. It’s a vision of a largely domestic plastics recycling industry with legislation that gives The Prime Minister has asked us to ‘Imagine Britain consistent support to recycling at a fair cost to when a Green Industrial Revolution has helped supply chain partners, much less export of waste, to level up the country,' In this ideal vision plastics an eradication of waste crime, a reduction in recycling should benefit. Let’s hope that it really does. ‘greenwash’, all to the point where plastics recycling Q3. How important is the role of innovation is ‘de-politicised’ and any targets are based on and new technology (including chemical real field experience not ideology. It’s an approach recycling and sorting technology) in delivering which emphasises harmonious co-operation along the recycling system of the future? the chain, one which reduces the prominence of No industry can stand still. They must innovate. sectoral silos and in which no-one ‘plays God’. It will There is scope for innovation in product design, be based on wide ranging collection schemes and collection, sorting, mechanical and chemical out of which plastics will emerge without question recycling. There also needs to be innovation in the as sustainable materials. I’m also hoping that by delivery of messages to consumers to increase their 2030 the entire achievement of plastics recycling engagement. Legislation is putting recycling in pole will be taken into account and that our efforts position. Governments are offering R&D funding. will not be judged solely in terms of packaging On the back of this, financial institutions might well recycling. Window frame recycling for example and show more interest in funding innovation projects the recycling of bottles into long life construction in plastics recycling. products are among areas which need much greater A spirit of innovation should run through industry recognition, as does the economic value of used or its image will suffer and attractiveness to plastics products as the basis of new raw materials. investors lessen. Q2. What do you think the medium term Q4. Will Energy from Waste still have a part impact will be of Covid-19 on recycling to play for plastic waste in 2030? in the UK? I think the consensus is that it will still be there, Recyclers as material suppliers will be affected partly because you can’t recycle plastics materials by the pattern of demand experienced by their for ever and there is an opportunity to derive different market sectors. The marked trend towards energy from the ultimate waste. It will also have a online shopping as a result of Covid restrictions role in the treatment of specialist streams such as might well prove to be enduring and a modified contaminated medical waste. Despite its merits in pattern of used materials and packaging arise in dealing with the small artefacts and in generating household waste. Energy from Waste and respecting regulatory Like all manufacturing sectors the ‘casualty rate’ of emission limits the future focus is likely to l be Covid-19 is exacerbating the pre-existing difficulties on achieving as much circularity as possible in finding suitable workers and some companies will through recycling. in the short term experience a physical shortage of people, hopefully easing as time progresses.

70 Conclusion 72 3 Conclusion

This roadmap has set out where the UK currently of plastic. This includes having a clear set of is for plastic recycling and has brought together all unified design for recycling guidelines, consistent available data on plastic recycling in the UK as well collections and material quality standards. as POM figures across multiple sectors including The BPF thinks this vision, although aspirational, packaging, ELVs, WEEE, and construction as well could be realised if the correct drivers and as other sectors such as medical. In some areas, investment are available. One means to fund this data is very limited, and expert insight has been expansion of recycling is via the Plastic Packaging used to make predictions in these areas. There is Tax. It is estimated that by 2030 the tax will have opportunity to improve data capture for plastic raised £1.8 billion.93 If this money was ring-fenced waste to enable better analysis of it to take place. and used to produce UK reprocessing capacity Plastic recycling has come a long way, and the as well as invested in collection and sorting, this summary graph presented at the beginning of would enable this vision to be realised. There is section 2 shows the rapid increase in recycling also further opportunity to use the landfill tax for and reduction in landfill over the last decade. investment in the industry. The provisional tax This reflects a shifting view towards waste and a raised from landfill in 2018/19 was £683 million94 realisation of the ability of this material to be used and if there were similar amounts generated until in a range of new products. In section 1.7, the uses 2030, the combined plastic packaging and landfill of recycled plastic into new products are examined. taxes would generate over £8.5 billion. There has been a wave of commitments from Further work brands and retailers to use recycled material as well potential government legislation on this. However, • Gain a more accurate understanding of existing as well as this, drive needs to continue and not capacity in the UK such as reprocessing, sorting lose focus due to the current tougher economic capacity, existing collection schemes and washing, situation. flaking and pelletisation capabilities.

The report has gone on to predict what plastic • Understand the capacity needed in supply chain recycling could be like by 2030. In this vision, the to meet forecast, e.g. sorting capacity. UK would have zero reliance on low-quality export. • Gain more insight on level of recycled content Minimising export would allow the UK to be less currently used. affected by global issues affecting other countries’ • Expand forecast to look at specific formats ability to accept material and also allow the UK to and polymer types. maximise the value in this material. It would be • Create scenarios for the effect on the 2030 hoped a lot of this material could be used in the forecast of different legislative drivers. UK, but even if markets for it are elsewhere, the UK • Explore the end markets for each sector and would be exporting a resource ready to be utilised format. Included in this should be looking at the in new products rather than waste. The report also markets within UK closed loop recycling, UK open shows minimal plastic waste going to landfill as the loop recycling and export for manufacturing. BPF wants to maximise the value from all plastic This information can be used to do economic and ensure it is used as high up the waste hierarchy modelling for the recycling of each type of plastic. as possible. It also sees non-mechanical recycling becoming increasingly important to help manage plastic waste.

The data presented for 2030, predicted by expert input, would only be possible with changes across the supply chain with well-designed legislative drivers in all the key areas set out in Figure 35, which all influence the end of life destination

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP CONCLUSION 73 Glossary of terms

ABS Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene POM Placed on the market – plastic that has entered a market for ATF Advanced Treatment Facility commercial consumption

C&I Commercial and Industrial PP Polyproylene

CPA Circular Plastics Alliance PRF Plastic Reclamation Facility

DVLA Driver and Vehicle Licensing PRN Packaging Recovery Note Agency PS Polystyrene EEE Electrical & Electronic Equipment PVC Polyvinyl Chloride EFW Energy from Waste RDF Refuse-derived fuel ELV End of life Vehicle SMMT Society of Motor Manufacturers EPS Expanded polystyrene and Traders

HDPE High-density polyethylene SRF Solid Recovered Fuel

HIPS High impact polystyrene WEEE Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment HWRCs Household Waste Recycling Centres Waste arising That is materials that have reached the end of their life LDPE Low-density polyethylene and entered the waste stream MRFs Materials Recovery Facilities

NPWD National Packaging Waste Database

PA Polyamide pa per annum

PC Polycarbonate

PE Polyethylene

PERN Packaging Export Recovery Note

PET Polyethylene terephthalate

PLC Public Limited Company

74 Annex 1 – Plastic production in the UK

There are nearly 2 million tonnes of plastic production in the UK, and Figure 44 shows the companies producing plastic across the UK.

FIGURE 44: Plastic production across the UK

Producer Product Location Capacity (t/y)

Sabic UK Petrochemicals LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene) GB, Wilton (Teesside) 400,000

INEOS Olefins & Polymers HD/LLDPE swing (Polyethylene High GB, Grangemouth 330,000 Density/Linear Low Density)

Inovyn PVC (Polyvinylchloride) GB, Newton Aycliffe 300,000

INEOS Olefins & Polymers PP (Polypropylene) GB, Grangemouth 285,000

Basell Polyolefins UK PP (Polypropylene) GB, Carrington 230,000

Alpek Polyester UK Ltd PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) GB, Wilton (Teesside) 350,000

PET Processors (UK) LLC PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) GB, Dumfries 20,000

Victrex Plc PEEK (Polyetheretherketone) GB, Thornton 7,000 Cleveleys

Asahi Glass Fluoropolymers PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) GB, Hillhouse 3,000 UK Ltd

Lucite International PMMA (Polymethyl Methacrylate) GB, Newton Aycliffe 3,000

Total 1,928,000

Source: Polyglobe www.polyglobe.net

Security of supply

The UK has the capacity to produce less than a more secure, domestic supply of feedstock (and 2 million tonnes of polymer yet processes nearly thus protect themselves from planned maintenance 4 million tonnes per year. As a result, the UK is and force majeures), but there will be a significant heavily reliant on the import of raw material (with reduction in carbon emissions caused by the 85% coming from Europe),95 unlike most of its logistics of importing such large volumes of raw European counterparts, who have the capacity to material. produce more than they consume.96 Investing significantly in the recycling infrastructure in the UK not only will mean UK processors have

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP ANNEX 1 75 FIGURE 45: Plastics production in the UK, 2020

1. Ineos Olefins & Polymers

2. Sabic UK Petrochemicals T 9. PET Processors (UK) LLC 3. Alpek Polyester T

5,6 4. Inovyn Newton Aycliffe 8. Victrex Plc T 5. Lucite International Newton Aycliffe 7. Asahi Glass Fluoropolymers UK Ltd PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) Capacity: 3,000 tonnes p.a.

6. Basell Polyolefins UK Capacity: 230,000 tonnes p.a.

Source: Polyglobe data 2020

76 Endnotes

1. VOULVOULIS et al., Imperial College London, ‘Examining 13. Estimate based on confidential information supplied by Material Evidence’, The Carbon Fingerprint Report, Imperial a UK toy industry expert and verified with the British Toy & College https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/ Hobby Association faculty-of-natural-sciences/centre-for-environmental-policy/ 14. Environment Agency WEEE collected in the UK https:// public/Veolia-Plastic-Whitepaper.pdf accessed 18.11.2020 www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/waste- 2. OECD 2018, Improving Plastics Management: Trends, policy electrical-and-electronic-equipment-weee-in-the-uk accessed responses, and the role of international co-operation and 16.07.2020 trade. Background Report http://www.oecd.org/environment/ 15. Environment Agency Electrical and Electronic Products waste/policy-highlights-improving-plastics-management.pdf Placed on the Market in 2019 WEEE database https://www. accessed 18.11.2020 gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/waste-electrical- 3. How2Recycle Recycled Content Calculator and-electronic-equipment-weee-in-the-uk accessed accessed 20.11.2020 09.07.2020

4. Voulvoulis et al., Imperial College London, ‘Examining 16. SMMT, 2020 SMMT Motor Industry Facts 2020 Material Evidence’, The Carbon Fingerprint Report, Imperial https://www.smmt.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/SMMT- College https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/ Motor-Industry-Facts-Nov-2020.pdf accessed 07.01.2021. faculty-of-natural-sciences/centre-for-environmental-policy/ 17. RecoMed public/Veolia-Plastic-¬Whitepaper.pdf accessed 18.11.2020 18. Data from BPF EPS Group 5. Material Economics, The Circular Economy – a Powerful Force for Climate Mitigation, https://materialeconomics.com/ 19. Reference for above RECOUP, UK Household Plastic publications/the-circular-economy-a-powerful-force-for- Packaging Sorting and Reprocessing Infrastructure 2020. climate-mitigation-1 p27 accessed 18.11.2020 20. PlasticsEurope, 2020 Plastics - the Facts 2020 - 6. PlasticsEurope, 2020 Plastics - the Facts 2020 - https://www.plasticseurope.org/application/ https://www.plasticseurope.org/application/ files/5716/0752/4286/AF_Plastics_the_facts-WEB-2020-ING_ files/5716/0752/4286/AF_Plastics_the_facts-WEB-2020-ING_ FINAL.pdf accessed 16.12.2020 FINAL.pdf accessed 16.12.2020 21. RECOUP, 2019 UK Household Plastics Collection Survey 7. RECOUP, 2020 UK Household Plastics Collection Survey https://www.recoup.org/p/89/uk-household-plastic- 2020 https://www.recoup.org/p/346/policy-infrastructure collection-survey-2019 accessed 18.11.2020 accessed 08.12.2020 22. RECOUP, 2020 Plastic Management and Recycling at 8. Valpak, PackFlow Covid-19 report https://www.valpak. Household Waste Recycling Centres in England 2020 co.uk/more/material-flow-reports/packflow-covid-report/ 23. NPWD and Valpak, 2020 Packflow Covid-19 Phase 1: plasticflow-covid-19 accessed 24.11.2020 Plastics https://www.valpak.co.uk/more/material-flow- 9. National Waste Packaging Database reports/packflow-covid-report/plasticflow-covid-19 accessed 03.11.2020 10. Using data from National Waste Packaging Database and Valpak, 2020 PackFlow Covid-19 report https://www.valpak. 24. Valpak, Valpak Databite No3 https://www.valpak.co.uk/ co.uk/more/material-flow-reports/packflow-covid-report/ docs/default-source/environmental-consulting/databite- plasticflow-covid-19 accessed 24.11.2020 no-3-2017-update---drinks-container-recycling-rates. pdf?sfvrsn=37616410_0 accessed 09.12.2020 11. Valpak, Valpak Databite No3 https://www.valpak.co.uk/ docs/default-source/environmental-consulting/databite- 25. National Packaging Waste Database no-3-2017-update---drinks-container-recycling-rates. 26. National Packaging Waste Database pdf?sfvrsn=37616410_0 accessed 09.12.2020

12. Recovinyl 2020, Recovinyl Recycling Achievement: 769,234 tonnes recycled in 2019

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP ENDNOTES 77 27. COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2019/1004 41. Eurostat, End of life vehicle statistics Reuse/recovery rate of 7 June 2019 laying down rules for the calculation, verification and reuse/recycling rate for end of life vehicles, 2018 and reporting of data on waste in accordance with Directive https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index. 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and php/End of life_vehicle_statistics#Total_weight_of_end of repealing Commission Implementing Decision C(2012) 2384 life_vehicles accessed 15.12.2020 (notified under document C(2019) 4114) 42. Eurostat, End of life vehicle statistics Reuse/recovery rate 28. PlasticsEurope, 2020 Plastics - the Facts 2020 - and reuse/recycling rate for end of life vehicles, 2018 https://www.plasticseurope.org/application/ https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index. files/5716/0752/4286/AF_Plastics_the_facts-WEB-2020-ING_ php/End of life_vehicle_statistics#Total_weight_of_end of FINAL.pdf accessed 16.12.2020 life_vehicles accessed 15.12.2020

29. WRAP, 2019 Market Situations report https://www.wrap. 43. Environment Agency WEEE collected in the UK org.uk/plastics-market-situation-report-2019 accessed https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/waste- 18.11.2020 the non-packaging plastic included 0.4 MT from electrical-and-electronic-equipment-weee-in-the-uk accessed WEEE, 0.4 MT from ELVs, 0.8 MT from the construction sector 16.07.2020 and estimated plastic content and 0.9 MT across a range of other end markets. 44. Conran, 360 Environmental 2013 WEEE REGULATIONS – 30. SMMT Vehicle Data – https://www.smmt.co.uk/vehicle- PROPOSED COLLECTION TARGETS FOR 2019 – data/car-registrations/ accessed 05.11.2020 https://www.360environmental.co.uk/documents/2013%20 WEEE%20Regulations%20-%20proposed%20hh%20 31. 2.0 to 2.6 million vehicles with an additional 12-14%. collection%20targets%20for%202019%20280219.pdf Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) 2020 accessed 16.07.2020 SMMT Motor Industry Facts 2020 https://www.smmt.co.uk/ wp-content/uploads/sites/2/SMMT-Motor-Industry-Facts- 45. Eurostat, 2020 Waste Statistics – electrical and electronic Oct-2020.pdf accessed 05.11.2020 equipment https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics- explained/index.php/Waste_statistics_-_electrical_and_ 32. 1.0 to ~1.5 T per vehicle. Small hatchback = 1.2 tonne/car ; electronic_equipment#EEE_put_on_the_market_and_WEEE_ modern family SUV’s = 1.5 – 2.0 tonne/car collected_in_the_EU accessed 24.11.2020 33. 450 to 600 kT pa. Estimate for last four years POM; avg. 46. Estimated by assuming half of the 3 million tonnes could vehicle weights and percent ‘all plastics’ per car. be converted to recycled polymer and the price per a tonnage 34. SPI, 2016 Plastics Market Watch: Automotive Recycling is £700. Revalued is now Revalued. https://www.plasticsindustry.org/ 47. VinylPlus 2020, VinylPlus Performance Report 2020 sites/default/files/2016-03256-SPI-PMW-Auto-Recycle-web. Reporting on 2019 Activities – https://vinylplus.eu/uploads/ pdf accessed 18.11.2020 images/ProgressReport2019/VinylPlus_Report_Digital_2019. 35. Using the average ELV weight (1.2 T) and the percentage of pdf Accessed 01.07.2020 plastic per vehicle (12 – 17%), the annual plastic arising from 48. Recovinyl 2020 Recovinyl Recycling Achievement: ELV vehicles is 250 – 360 kT pa. 769,234 tonnes recycled in 2019. https://ed937150- 36. Department for Transport – Vehicle Licensing Statistics: f94b-4acc-9ca0-41c725b6da30.usrfiles.com/ugd/ Annual 2017 – published 12 April 2018 https://www.gov. ed9371_9ca09c260115440c9751ceceabc5c02e.pdf Accessed uk/government/statistics/vehicle-licensing-statistics-2017 01.07.2020 accessed 29.04.2020 49. VinylPlus 2020, VinylPlus Performance Report 2020 37. This estimate assumes that all textiles; seating and Reporting on 2019 Activities – https://vinylplus.eu/uploads/ insulation foams; elastomers and composites will not be images/ProgressReport2019/VinylPlus_Report_Digital_2019. recycled using current technology approaches but are pdf Accessed 01.07.2020 probably destined for RDF and energy recovery 50. Estimate based on confidential information supplied by 38. EuRIC, 2019 EuRIC Position paper ELV Directive review Feb a UK toy industry expert and verified with the British Toy and 2019 https://www.euric-aisbl.eu/position-papers/item/323- Hobby Association euric-position-on-the-revision-of-the-end of life-vehicles-elv- 51. Estimate based on confidential information supplied by directive accessed 29.04.2020 a UK toy industry expert and verified with the British Toy and 39. Lightweight Material for Cars and Trucks https://www. Hobby Association energy.gov/eere/vehicles/lightweight-materials-cars-and- trucks accessed 29.04.2020

40. Scott, 1999 Polymers and the Environment, p23

78 52. Estimate based on confidential information supplied by 68. Volvo, 2018, Volvo Cars aims for 25 per cent recycled a UK toy industry expert and verified with the British Toy and plastics in every new car from 2025 https://www.media. Hobby Association volvocars.com/global/en-gb/media/pressreleases/230703/ volvo-cars-aims-for-25-per-cent-recycled-plastics-in-every- 53. RECOUP, 2020 Plastic Management and Recycling at new-car-from-2025 accessed 05.08.2020 Household Waste Recycling Centres in England 2020 69. Ford, 2019, From Recycling Bin to Underbody Skin; Ford 54. RecoMed Recycles 1.2 Billion Plastic Bottles Every Year for Vehicle Parts 55. EPS Packaging Group Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) and https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/ the Environment http://www.eps.co.uk/pdfs/eps_and_the_ news/2019/05/31/ford-recycles-1-2-billion-plastic-bottles. environment.pdf accessed 24.11.2020 html accessed 05.08.2020

56. RECOUP, UK Household Plastic Packaging Sorting and 70. Group Renault 2017 Renault, Actively Developing Reprocessing Infrastructure 2020. Circular Economy Throughout Vehicles Life Cycle https://group.renault.com/en/news-on-air/news/renault- 57. PlasticsEurope, The Circular Economy for Plastics – actively-developing-circular-economy-throughout-vehicles- A European Overview – https://www.plasticseurope.org/en/ life-cycle/ accessed 05.08.2020 resources/publications/1899-circular-economy-plastics- european-overview accessed 29.04.2020 71. Circular Plastics Alliance https://ec.europa.eu/growth/ industry/policy/circular-plastics-alliance_en accessed 58. Circular Plastics Alliance https://ec.europa.eu/growth/ 16.06.2020 industry/policy/circular-plastics-alliance_en accessed 16.06.2020 72. BCC Publishing, 2020 Plastics recycling: Global Markets Global Plastic Recycling Market Size & Trends Research Report 59. Hicks, 2020 Cheap virgin plastic is being dol as recycled (bccresearch.com) accessed 24.11.2020 plastic – it’s time for better recycling certification https://www.eco-business.com/news/cheap-virgin-plastic-is- 73. Plastics Europe – Circular Economy for Plastics 2018 EU being-sold-as-recycled-plastic-its-time-for-better-recycling- 28 +2 – Conversio Market + Strategy. The report was prepared certification/ accessed 18.11.2020 for the top 10 countries in Europe and used data input from over 100 published documents and about 300 interviews with 60. Industry expert knowledge via direct contact with author experts, using a methodology that combines ‘hard data’ from 61. WRAP, 2019 Plastic Market Situations report, 2019. national records with expert opinion from people working https://www.wrap.org.uk/plastics-market-situation- in the individual market sectors. It is essentially a ‘bottom- report-2019 Accessed 23.03.2020 up’ approach for combining a lot of individual market sector 62 British Plastics and Rubber Magazine, 2020 First produce detailed estimates into the whole result. in food-grade recycled flexible packaging hits Tesco shelves. 74. World Economic Forum 2020 Plastics, the Circular https://www.britishplastics.co.uk/News/first-produce-in- Economy and Global Trade food-grade-recycled-flexible-packaging-hits/ accessed 75. While there may actually be some market growth in 08.09.2020 relation to population increase and GDP growth, the prediction 63. Coca-Cola Great Britain Recycle, Recover, Reuse is simpler to assess when made against this ‘nil growth basis’. https://www.coca-cola.co.uk/sustainability/sustainability- Predictions of circa 2% per annum for plastics consumption in-great-britain/recycle-recover-reuse-an-update-on-our- have been seen in pre-Covid market reports. ambition-for-a-sustainable-future accessed 05.08.2020 76. McKinsey & Company, 2018 – How plastics waste 64. Nestlé, 2018 Nestlé Pledges increase in recycled plastics recycling could transform the chemical industry in the EU https://www.nestle.com/media/news/nestle- https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/McKinsey/Industries/ increases-recycled-plastics-europe accessed 05.08.2020 Chemicals/Our%20Insights/How%20plastics%20waste%20 65. Unilever, Waste & packaging https://www.unilever.co.uk/ recycling%20could%20transform%20the%20chemical%20 sustainable-living/waste-and-packaging/ accessed 05.08.2020 industry/How-plastics-waste-recycling-could-transform. pdf?shouldIndex=false accessed 18.11.2010 66. Pepsico, 2019 Sustainability Report Goals & Progress https://www.pepsico.com/sustainability/goals-and-progress 77. RECOUP, 2020 UK Household Plastics Collection Survey accessed 24.11.2020 2020 https://www.recoup.org/p/346/policy-infrastructure accessed 08.12.2020 67. EuRIC, 2020 EuRIC call for recycled plastic content in cars https://www.euric-aisbl.eu/position-papers 78. British Plastics Federation, British Plastics Industry accessed 18.11.2020 https://www.bpf.co.uk/industry/Default.aspx accessed 24.11.2020

BPF RECYCLING ROADMAP ENDNOTES 79 79. European Commission, 2018 European Strategy for 89. WRAP, 2018 Non-Mechanical Recycling of Plastics Plastics in a Circular Economy https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal- https://wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/2019-09-30-Non- content/EN/TXT/?qid=1516265440535&uri=COM:2018:28:FIN Mechanical-Recycling-of-Plastics-WRAP-v.3%20%28002%29. accessed 18.11.2020 pdf accessed 05.08.2020

80. Material Economic The Circular Economy – a Powerful 90. Material Economics The Circular Economy – A Powerful Force for Climate Mitigation, Material Economics Force for Climate Mitigation https://materialeconomics.com/publications/the-circular- 91. Naviroj et al., 2019 Chemical Recycling of Plastics by economy-a-powerful-force-for-climate-mitigation-1 Dissolution https://repository.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent. accessed 18.11.2020 cgi?article=1115&context=cbe_sdr accessed 18.11.2020 81. Viridor, 2019 UK Recycling Index 2019 https://www.viridor. 92. Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2019 Enabling a co.uk/siteassets/document-repository/recycling-index/ circular economy for chemicals with the mass balance viridor-recycling-index-2019.pdf accessed 24.11.2020 approach https://www.basf.com/global/en/who-we-are/ 82. Apple, 2019 Environmental Responsibility Report, 2019 sustainability/whats-new/sustainability-news/2019/ Progress Report covering fiscal year 2018https://www.apple. EllenMacArthurfoundation-White-Paper-Mass-balance.html com/euro/environment/pdf/a/generic/Apple_Environmental_ accessed 24.11.2020 Responsibility_Report_2019.pdf accessed 05.08.2020 93. HM Treasury Budget 2020: Policy Costings https://assets. 83. Samsung, Resource Efficiency Conserve, use longer, publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/ and reuse https://www.samsung.com/uk/aboutsamsung/ uploads/attachment_data/file/871948/Budget_2020_policy_ sustainability/environment/resource-efficiency/ accessed costings.pdf – number extrapolated to 2030 based on the 05.08.2020 decreasing revenue expected from 2022 to 2025 accessed 18.11.2020 84. This is based on £10 million per 10,000 tonnes 94. Landfill tax: United Kingdom HMRC tax receipts 2000 – 85. RECOUP, 2020 UK Household Plastics Packaging Sorting 2019 https://www.statista.com/statistics/284354/landfill-tax- and Reprocessing Infrastructure Report united-kingdom-hmrc-tax-receipts/#professional accessed 86. IUPAC. Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. 07.10.2020 (the “Gold Book”). Compiled by A. D. McNaught and A. 95. Understanding Plastics Trade https://www.bpf.co.uk/eu/ Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford (1997). understanding-plastics-trade.aspx Online version (2019-) created by S. J. Chalk. http://goldbook. iupac.org/terms/view/D01600 accessed 05.08.2020 96. The UK plastics industry: A strategic vision for growth https://www.bpf.co.uk/plastics-strategy/default.aspx p31 87. WRAP, 2018 Non-Mechanical Recycling of Plastics https://wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/2019-09-30-Non- Mechanical-Recycling-of-Plastics-WRAP-v.3%20%28002%29. pdf accessed 05.08.2020

88. Kiran et al., 2000 Recycling of plastic wastes via pyrolysis https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/ S0921344900000525 accessed 05.08.2020

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